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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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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  2. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  3. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  4. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  5. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  6. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  7. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  8. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  9. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  10. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  11. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  12. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  13. He was locked up in a ________________.
  14. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  15. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  16. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  17. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  18. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — a grade
  2. snap — to speak sharply
  3. chip — in a computer
  4. cell — in biology
  5. fine — high quality
  6. mark — a trace
  7. prune — to trim
  8. fine — a penalty
  9. cell — a phone
  10. mark — to pay attention
  11. prune — the fruit
  12. snap — to snap out of it
  13. cell — in a prison
  14. prune — to trim
  15. fine — all right
  16. chip — to eat
  17. snap — to click
  18. chip — for betting

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