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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. Did you ________________ the meat?
  3. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  4. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  5. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  6. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  7. That was a fun ________________.
  8. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  9. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  10. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  11. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  12. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  13. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  14. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  15. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  16. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  17. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  18. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  19. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  20. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  21. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  22. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  23. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  24. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — a grade
  2. season — to add flavour
  3. mark — a trace
  4. deal — a big deal
  5. kick — with a leg
  6. stick — to attach or keep to
  7. game — a match
  8. dip — a sauce
  9. rest — a break
  10. stick — a piece of wood
  11. stick — a piece of wood
  12. kick — in football
  13. deal — an agreement
  14. season — in sport
  15. rest — what's left
  16. rest — what's left
  17. dip — to sink
  18. kick — a thrill
  19. season — of the year
  20. game — a kind of play
  21. dip — to dunk
  22. deal — to handle
  23. game — wild animals
  24. mark — to pay attention

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