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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. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  2. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  3. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  4. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  5. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  6. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  7. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  8. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  9. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  10. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  11. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  12. When will it ________________ you to start?
  13. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  14. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  15. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  16. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  17. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  18. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  19. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  20. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  21. David sat on the ________________.
  22. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  23. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  24. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.

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. row — a line
  4. bowl — a football final
  5. mark — to pay attention
  6. suit — clothes
  7. suit — in cards
  8. mine — for digging
  9. row — a quarrel
  10. wave — a sudden rise
  11. bowl — to roll
  12. suit — to fit
  13. mine — an explosive
  14. row — to paddle
  15. rest — a break
  16. wave — of the sea
  17. swing — music
  18. mine — belonging to me
  19. wave — with your hand
  20. rest — what's left
  21. swing — to play on
  22. swing — in golf
  23. rest — what's left
  24. bowl — a dish

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