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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 116 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: bat · mug · rule · hide · pound · straw · mark · object

  1. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  2. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  3. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  4. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  5. Where did you ________________ them?
  6. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  7. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  8. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  9. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  10. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  11. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  12. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  13. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  14. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  15. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  16. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  17. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  18. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  19. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  20. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  21. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  22. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  23. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  24. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — a grade
  2. mug — a cup
  3. object — an aim
  4. hide — to keep secret
  5. mug — to rob
  6. mark — a trace
  7. straw — dry grass
  8. bat — the animal
  9. bat — in an idiom
  10. straw — to clutch at straws
  11. rule — a law
  12. rule — to rule out
  13. mug — a face
  14. bat — for baseball
  15. object — a thing
  16. rule — government
  17. hide — to keep secret
  18. pound — for dogs
  19. pound — to hit hard
  20. mark — to pay attention
  21. straw — a straw man
  22. object — to protest
  23. hide — animal skin
  24. pound — a weight

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