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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. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  3. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  4. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  5. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  6. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  7. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  8. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  9. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  10. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  11. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  12. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  13. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  14. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  15. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  16. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  17. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  18. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  19. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  20. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  21. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  22. David sat on the ________________.
  23. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  24. The polar ice ________________ is melting.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — a trace
  2. chip — for betting
  3. swing — music
  4. mine — an explosive
  5. pitch — a sports field
  6. mine — belonging to me
  7. chip — in a computer
  8. swing — in golf
  9. pass — a permit
  10. pass — to succeed
  11. mark — to pay attention
  12. pitch — completely
  13. can — a tin
  14. mark — a grade
  15. pitch — a sales talk
  16. pass — to spend time
  17. mine — for digging
  18. cap — a lid
  19. can — a tin
  20. cap — a hat
  21. can — to be able to
  22. swing — to play on
  23. chip — to eat
  24. cap — of ice

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