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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 116 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  2. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  3. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  4. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  5. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  6. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  7. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  8. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  9. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  10. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  11. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  12. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  13. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  14. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  15. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  16. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  17. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  18. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  19. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  20. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  21. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  22. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  23. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  24. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. mark — a grade
  2. lie — an untruth
  3. mark — a trace
  4. wound — an injury
  5. wound — past of 'wind'
  6. root — the cause
  7. pass — to spend time
  8. wound — an injury
  9. bore — to drill
  10. pound — to hit hard
  11. mark — to pay attention
  12. mine — for digging
  13. root — of a plant
  14. pass — a permit
  15. lie — to recline
  16. pass — to succeed
  17. mine — an explosive
  18. root — of a word
  19. bore — gave birth
  20. pound — a weight
  21. bore — to tire
  22. pound — for dogs
  23. mine — belonging to me
  24. lie — an untruth

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com