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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. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  2. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  3. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  4. Where did you ________________ them?
  5. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  6. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  7. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  8. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  9. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  10. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  11. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  12. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  13. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  14. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  15. Have you found your soul ________________?
  16. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  17. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  18. My father caught me by the ________________.
  19. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  20. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  21. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  22. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  23. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  24. I got dealt a bad ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — a trace
  2. shower — a meteor shower
  3. race — a contest
  4. mug — to rob
  5. race — humankind
  6. shower — rain
  7. hand — part of the body
  8. band — a music group
  9. band — a rubber band
  10. shower — to wash
  11. mark — to pay attention
  12. arm — a part of something
  13. hand — help
  14. mug — a cup
  15. mate — a partner
  16. race — the arms race
  17. mark — a grade
  18. arm — part of the body
  19. arm — part of the body
  20. mate — a friend
  21. mug — a face
  22. band — a ring
  23. mate — to breed
  24. hand — in cards

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