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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. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  2. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  3. Don't do anything ________________.
  4. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  5. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  6. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  7. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  8. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  9. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  10. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  11. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  12. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  13. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  14. The King held a masked ________________.
  15. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  16. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  17. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  18. I'll be taking the ________________.
  19. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  20. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  21. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  22. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  23. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  24. I'll take my ________________ from you.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — in a computer
  2. present — a gift
  3. rash — hasty
  4. mark — to pay attention
  5. rash — a series
  6. present — the time now
  7. rest — a break
  8. ball — a great time
  9. chip — for betting
  10. rest — what's left
  11. rash — on the skin
  12. tube — a container
  13. mark — a grade
  14. ball — a dance
  15. ball — a round shape
  16. cue — a signal
  17. present — there
  18. tube — the underground
  19. rest — what's left
  20. mark — a trace
  21. chip — to eat
  22. cue — for pool
  23. tube — in a tire
  24. cue — a hint

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