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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 116 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. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  3. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  4. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  5. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  6. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  7. The light ________________ burned out.
  8. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  9. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  10. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  11. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  12. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  13. Have you found your soul ________________?
  14. I can't ________________ this cold.
  15. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  16. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  17. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  18. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  19. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  20. I've got to change the light ________________.
  21. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  22. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  23. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  24. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — a trace
  2. mate — to breed
  3. mark — to pay attention
  4. lie — an untruth
  5. pass — to succeed
  6. mate — a friend
  7. bulb — for light
  8. lie — to recline
  9. object — to protest
  10. pass — a permit
  11. bass — low music
  12. stand — for spectators
  13. mate — a partner
  14. stand — to bear
  15. object — a thing
  16. pass — to spend time
  17. bulb — of a plant
  18. lie — an untruth
  19. bass — the instrument
  20. bulb — for light
  21. mark — a grade
  22. object — an aim
  23. bass — the fish
  24. stand — on your feet

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