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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. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  2. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  3. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  4. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  5. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  6. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  7. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  8. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  9. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  10. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  11. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  12. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  13. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  14. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  15. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  16. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  17. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  18. The tickets are free of ________________.
  19. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  20. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  21. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  22. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  23. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  24. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — a grade
  2. leaves — lets stay
  3. charge — in control
  4. wake — before a funeral
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. club — for golf
  7. snap — to snap out of it
  8. mark — to pay attention
  9. ruler — a monarch
  10. squash — to crush
  11. leaves — of a tree
  12. club — for dancing
  13. squash — the sport
  14. squash — the vegetable
  15. snap — to click
  16. charge — electricity
  17. snap — to speak sharply
  18. charge — a price
  19. wake — a trail
  20. leaves — to go away
  21. wake — to stop sleeping
  22. ruler — for measuring
  23. club — a group
  24. mark — a trace

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