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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.

Make a worksheet

Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: mark · ball · prune · toast · dip · capital · object · lie

  1. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  2. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  3. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  4. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  5. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  6. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  7. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  8. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  9. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  10. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  11. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  12. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  13. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  14. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  15. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  16. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  17. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  18. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  19. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  20. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  21. The King held a masked ________________.
  22. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  23. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  24. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — a grade
  2. ball — a round shape
  3. mark — to pay attention
  4. object — an aim
  5. toast — bread
  6. dip — to dunk
  7. capital — a city
  8. prune — to trim
  9. object — to protest
  10. capital — a big letter
  11. lie — an untruth
  12. prune — the fruit
  13. dip — to sink
  14. ball — a great time
  15. toast — the most admired
  16. toast — a drink to someone
  17. object — a thing
  18. lie — an untruth
  19. capital — money
  20. lie — to recline
  21. ball — a dance
  22. prune — to trim
  23. mark — a trace
  24. dip — a sauce

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