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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: staff · mug · pop · ball · race · face · mark · wound

  1. The King held a masked ________________.
  2. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  3. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  4. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  5. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  6. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  7. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  8. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  9. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  10. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  11. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  12. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  13. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  14. Where did you ________________ them?
  15. We're almost out of ________________.
  16. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  17. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  18. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  19. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  20. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  21. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  22. You don't need to ________________ round.
  23. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  24. He refilled his coffee ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a dance
  2. mark — a grade
  3. wound — past of 'wind'
  4. mark — to pay attention
  5. face — to confront
  6. wound — an injury
  7. staff — employees
  8. race — a contest
  9. race — the arms race
  10. staff — employees
  11. ball — a round shape
  12. race — humankind
  13. mark — a trace
  14. mug — to rob
  15. pop — soda
  16. mug — a face
  17. staff — a stick
  18. pop — music
  19. wound — an injury
  20. face — part of the head
  21. ball — a great time
  22. pop — to visit
  23. face — to point toward
  24. mug — a cup

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