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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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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. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  2. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  3. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  4. David sat on the ________________.
  5. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  6. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  7. When will it ________________ you to start?
  8. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  9. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  10. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  11. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  12. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  13. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  14. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  15. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  16. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  17. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  18. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  19. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  20. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  21. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  22. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  23. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  24. 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. snap — to snap out of it
  2. mark — a grade
  3. scale — for weighing
  4. swing — to play on
  5. swing — in golf
  6. leaves — to go away
  7. suit — to fit
  8. snap — to click
  9. rest — what's left
  10. mark — a trace
  11. swing — music
  12. scale — in music
  13. leaves — of a tree
  14. leaves — lets stay
  15. chip — to eat
  16. mark — to pay attention
  17. rest — what's left
  18. chip — in a computer
  19. scale — size or range
  20. suit — clothes
  21. snap — to speak sharply
  22. suit — in cards
  23. rest — a break
  24. 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