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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. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  3. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  4. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  5. The King held a masked ________________.
  6. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  7. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  8. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  9. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  10. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  11. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  12. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  13. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  14. I'll be taking the ________________.
  15. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  16. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  17. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  18. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  19. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  20. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  21. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  22. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  23. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  24. She got the top ________________ in the exam.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — a trace
  2. current — happening now
  3. bat — in an idiom
  4. current — electric
  5. ball — a dance
  6. bat — for baseball
  7. ball — a great time
  8. branch — of a tree
  9. bat — the animal
  10. foot — part of the body
  11. foot — a measure
  12. hide — to keep secret
  13. branch — of a bank
  14. tube — the underground
  15. tube — a container
  16. foot — the bottom
  17. tube — in a tire
  18. current — of water
  19. ball — a round shape
  20. branch — a division
  21. hide — animal skin
  22. hide — to keep secret
  23. mark — to pay attention
  24. mark — a grade

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