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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. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  3. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  4. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  5. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  6. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  7. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  8. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  9. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  10. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  11. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  12. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  13. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  14. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  15. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  16. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  17. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  18. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  19. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  20. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  21. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  22. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  23. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  24. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — a grade
  2. lie — an untruth
  3. current — of water
  4. foot — the bottom
  5. lean — thin
  6. straw — a straw man
  7. lie — to recline
  8. lean — to bend
  9. foot — a measure
  10. mark — a trace
  11. march — the month
  12. racket — a loud noise
  13. march — the month
  14. current — electric
  15. current — happening now
  16. racket — for tennis
  17. straw — dry grass
  18. foot — part of the body
  19. lean — to rest against
  20. march — music
  21. lie — an untruth
  22. mark — to pay attention
  23. straw — to clutch at straws
  24. racket — for tennis

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