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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. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  3. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  4. False peace will not ________________.
  5. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  6. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  7. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  8. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  9. There's no middle ________________.
  10. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  11. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  12. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  13. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  14. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  15. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  16. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  17. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  18. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  19. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  20. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  21. When will it ________________ you to start?
  22. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  23. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  24. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!

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

Answer key

  1. mark — a trace
  2. patient — calm and waiting
  3. dip — to sink
  4. last — to go on
  5. patient — a sick person
  6. fine — a penalty
  7. suit — clothes
  8. ground — the earth
  9. ground — a position
  10. bear — the animal
  11. ground — crushed
  12. fine — all right
  13. mark — to pay attention
  14. bear — the animal
  15. suit — in cards
  16. mark — a grade
  17. dip — to dunk
  18. last — final
  19. patient — a sick person
  20. fine — high quality
  21. suit — to fit
  22. dip — a sauce
  23. last — finally
  24. bear — to put up with

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