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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.

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: mine · dip · bore · mark · rash · bear · bat · ruler

  1. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  2. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  3. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  4. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  5. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  6. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  7. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  8. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  9. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  10. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  11. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  12. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  13. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  14. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  15. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  16. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  17. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  18. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  19. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  20. Don't do anything ________________.
  21. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  22. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  23. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  24. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!

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

Answer key

  1. mark — a trace
  2. bear — the animal
  3. mark — a grade
  4. dip — to sink
  5. bore — to tire
  6. rash — on the skin
  7. bat — the animal
  8. bat — for baseball
  9. ruler — for measuring
  10. bore — to drill
  11. bore — gave birth
  12. mine — for digging
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. mine — belonging to me
  15. bear — the animal
  16. mine — an explosive
  17. ruler — a monarch
  18. dip — a sauce
  19. bat — in an idiom
  20. rash — hasty
  21. dip — to dunk
  22. rash — a series
  23. mark — to pay attention
  24. bear — to put up with

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