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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. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  3. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  4. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  5. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  6. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  7. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  8. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  9. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  10. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  11. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  12. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  13. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  14. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  15. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  16. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  17. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  18. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  19. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  20. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  21. The King held a masked ________________.
  22. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  23. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  24. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — a trace
  2. mark — to pay attention
  3. wound — past of 'wind'
  4. fan — a supporter
  5. lie — an untruth
  6. can — a tin
  7. fan — to cool the air
  8. wound — an injury
  9. ball — a round shape
  10. bank — for money
  11. mark — a grade
  12. wound — an injury
  13. chip — to eat
  14. lie — to recline
  15. lie — an untruth
  16. can — a tin
  17. can — to be able to
  18. bank — for money
  19. chip — for betting
  20. chip — in a computer
  21. ball — a dance
  22. bank — of a river
  23. ball — a great time
  24. fan — a supporter

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