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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. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  4. The ________________ market has crashed.
  5. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  6. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  7. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  8. That was ________________ to happen.
  9. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  10. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  11. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  12. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  13. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  14. How do you ________________ your surname?
  15. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  16. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  17. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  18. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  19. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  20. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  21. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  22. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  23. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  24. I have a corn on my right ________________.

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. bound — tied together
  4. stock — shares
  5. foot — a measure
  6. foot — the bottom
  7. stock — goods
  8. bound — certain
  9. lean — thin
  10. spell — magic
  11. mark — to pay attention
  12. wake — a trail
  13. lean — to rest against
  14. spell — letters
  15. leaves — to go away
  16. lean — to bend
  17. leaves — of a tree
  18. wake — before a funeral
  19. bound — obliged
  20. wake — to stop sleeping
  21. leaves — lets stay
  22. spell — a short time
  23. stock — a soup base
  24. foot — part of the body

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