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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. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  3. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  4. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  5. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  6. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  7. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  8. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  9. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  10. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  11. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  12. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  13. The ball is in your ________________.
  14. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  15. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  16. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  17. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  18. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  19. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  20. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  21. The ________________ went through the wall.
  22. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  23. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  24. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — a trace
  2. leaves — to go away
  3. mark — a grade
  4. nail — on a finger
  5. perch — for a bird
  6. patient — calm and waiting
  7. leaves — lets stay
  8. leaves — of a tree
  9. mark — to pay attention
  10. perch — the fish
  11. court — of law
  12. club — a group
  13. court — for sport
  14. patient — a sick person
  15. bowl — a football final
  16. court — of a king
  17. club — for golf
  18. patient — a sick person
  19. club — for dancing
  20. bowl — a dish
  21. nail — for a hammer
  22. perch — for a bird
  23. bowl — to roll
  24. nail — for a hammer

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