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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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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: mouse · pop · hand · snap · foot · mark · rash · dip

  1. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  2. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  3. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  4. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  5. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  6. We're almost out of ________________.
  7. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  8. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  9. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  10. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  11. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  12. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  13. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  14. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  15. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  16. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  17. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  18. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  19. You don't need to ________________ round.
  20. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  21. Don't do anything ________________.
  22. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  23. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  24. I seem to be developing a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — a grade
  2. mark — to pay attention
  3. hand — part of the body
  4. mouse — the animal
  5. rash — a series
  6. pop — soda
  7. snap — to speak sharply
  8. dip — to dunk
  9. snap — to click
  10. pop — music
  11. dip — to sink
  12. foot — a measure
  13. mouse — for a computer
  14. snap — to snap out of it
  15. dip — a sauce
  16. hand — help
  17. hand — in cards
  18. mark — a trace
  19. pop — to visit
  20. mouse — the animal
  21. rash — hasty
  22. foot — part of the body
  23. foot — the bottom
  24. rash — on the skin

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