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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 newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  2. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  3. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  4. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  5. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  6. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  7. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  8. I can't ________________ this cold.
  9. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  10. The King held a masked ________________.
  11. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  12. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  13. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  14. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  15. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  16. When are we going to ________________?
  17. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  18. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  19. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  20. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  21. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  22. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  23. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  24. Have you settled on a ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. foot — the bottom
  2. mark — a grade
  3. chip — to eat
  4. chip — for betting
  5. stand — for spectators
  6. mark — to pay attention
  7. pit — a hole
  8. stand — to bear
  9. date — the fruit
  10. ball — a dance
  11. ball — a round shape
  12. land — ground
  13. stand — on your feet
  14. ball — a great time
  15. foot — a measure
  16. land — to come down
  17. pit — a fruit stone
  18. mark — a trace
  19. chip — in a computer
  20. foot — part of the body
  21. date — on the calendar
  22. land — a country
  23. pit — in a race
  24. date — on the calendar

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