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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. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  4. You don't need to ________________ round.
  5. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  6. There's no middle ________________.
  7. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  8. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  9. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  10. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  11. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  12. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  13. What do you think of the new ________________?
  14. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  15. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  16. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  17. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  18. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  19. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  20. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  21. We're almost out of ________________.
  22. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  23. I can't ________________ this cold.
  24. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.

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. ground — crushed
  4. pop — to visit
  5. trunk — of a car
  6. ground — a position
  7. stand — for spectators
  8. stand — on your feet
  9. trunk — of a tree
  10. bowl — a football final
  11. cabinet — ministers
  12. bowl — to roll
  13. cabinet — ministers
  14. trunk — of an elephant
  15. mark — to pay attention
  16. wax — for sculpting
  17. bowl — a dish
  18. cabinet — a cupboard
  19. wax — to grow
  20. ground — the earth
  21. pop — soda
  22. wax — in the ear
  23. stand — to bear
  24. pop — music

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