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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. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  2. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  3. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  4. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  5. It's one o'clock ________________.
  6. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  7. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  8. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  9. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  10. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  11. My mare is ________________ in color.
  12. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  13. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  14. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  15. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  16. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  17. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  18. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  19. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  20. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  21. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  22. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  23. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  24. I can't ________________ this cold.

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. pit — a fruit stone
  4. chip — to eat
  5. sharp — exactly
  6. stand — on your feet
  7. lean — thin
  8. bay — a part of the sea
  9. sharp — clever
  10. lean — to rest against
  11. bay — a horse colour
  12. mark — a grade
  13. chip — in a computer
  14. track — to keep track
  15. track — a song
  16. bay — to keep at bay
  17. pit — in a race
  18. mark — to pay attention
  19. chip — for betting
  20. pit — a hole
  21. stand — for spectators
  22. lean — to bend
  23. sharp — with an edge
  24. stand — to bear

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