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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: spring · snap · mug · lie · mark · track · spell · stem

  1. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  2. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  3. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  4. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  5. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  6. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  7. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  8. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  9. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  10. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  11. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  12. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  13. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  14. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  15. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  16. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  17. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  18. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  19. How do you ________________ your surname?
  20. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  21. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  22. Where did you ________________ them?
  23. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  24. She got the top ________________ in the exam.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — a trace
  2. track — a path
  3. stem — of a plant
  4. spell — a short time
  5. spring — a coil
  6. stem — a stem cell
  7. stem — to come from
  8. mug — a face
  9. lie — an untruth
  10. track — a song
  11. lie — an untruth
  12. snap — to speak sharply
  13. spring — of water
  14. lie — to recline
  15. track — to keep track
  16. spring — the season
  17. mark — to pay attention
  18. mug — a cup
  19. spell — letters
  20. spell — magic
  21. snap — to snap out of it
  22. mug — to rob
  23. snap — to click
  24. mark — a grade

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