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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 124 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. This piece is in a major ________________.
  3. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  4. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  5. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  6. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  7. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  8. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  9. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  10. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  11. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  12. Did you ________________ the meat?
  13. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  14. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  15. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  16. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  17. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  18. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  19. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  20. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  21. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  22. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  23. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  24. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — a trace
  2. key — in music
  3. wound — an injury
  4. content — happy
  5. lie — an untruth
  6. season — of the year
  7. mark — a grade
  8. wound — past of 'wind'
  9. lie — an untruth
  10. pass — to spend time
  11. content — videos and posts
  12. season — to add flavour
  13. toast — bread
  14. content — the amount
  15. mark — to pay attention
  16. season — in sport
  17. key — for a lock
  18. lie — to recline
  19. key — the most important part
  20. wound — an injury
  21. pass — a permit
  22. pass — to succeed
  23. toast — a drink to someone
  24. toast — the most admired

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