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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 120 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. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  2. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  3. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  4. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  5. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  6. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  7. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  8. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  9. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  10. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  11. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  12. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  13. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  14. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  15. That must've been a ________________.
  16. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  17. There's no middle ________________.
  18. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  19. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  20. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  21. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  22. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  23. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  24. Add some ________________ pepper to it.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — a trace
  2. cap — a lid
  3. mark — to pay attention
  4. firm — steady
  5. calf — of the leg
  6. ground — the earth
  7. rush — to hurry
  8. rush — hurry
  9. mark — a grade
  10. cap — a hat
  11. firm — a company
  12. kick — with a leg
  13. calf — a young animal
  14. kick — a thrill
  15. rush — a thrill
  16. rest — a break
  17. ground — a position
  18. firm — decided
  19. rest — what's left
  20. kick — in football
  21. cap — of ice
  22. calf — a young animal
  23. rest — what's left
  24. ground — crushed

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