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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 124 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. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  3. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  4. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  5. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  6. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  7. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  8. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  9. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  10. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  11. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  12. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  13. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  14. That must've been a ________________.
  15. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  16. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  17. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  18. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  19. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  20. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  21. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  22. The ________________ went through the wall.
  23. We're on a ________________ here.
  24. You shouldn't ________________ things.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — a trace
  2. trunk — of a tree
  3. mark — a grade
  4. mark — to pay attention
  5. nail — on a finger
  6. nail — for a hammer
  7. rush — hurry
  8. roll — a list
  9. pitch — completely
  10. chip — to eat
  11. roll — a cake
  12. chip — for betting
  13. trunk — of a car
  14. rush — a thrill
  15. bass — the instrument
  16. chip — in a computer
  17. bass — the fish
  18. trunk — of an elephant
  19. pitch — a sports field
  20. bass — low music
  21. pitch — a sales talk
  22. nail — for a hammer
  23. roll — on a roll
  24. rush — to hurry

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