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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. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  3. When was this ________________ built?
  4. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  5. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  6. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  7. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  8. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  9. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  10. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  11. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  12. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  13. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  14. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  15. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  16. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  17. My father caught me by the ________________.
  18. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  19. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  20. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  21. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  22. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  23. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  24. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — a grade
  2. mark — a trace
  3. temple — a place of worship
  4. row — to paddle
  5. mark — to pay attention
  6. arm — a part of something
  7. patient — a sick person
  8. pitch — a sports field
  9. mine — for digging
  10. arm — part of the body
  11. mine — belonging to me
  12. temple — side of the head
  13. patient — calm and waiting
  14. row — a quarrel
  15. can — a tin
  16. temple — a place of worship
  17. arm — part of the body
  18. pitch — a sales talk
  19. patient — a sick person
  20. can — to be able to
  21. row — a line
  22. mine — an explosive
  23. can — a tin
  24. pitch — completely

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