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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 116 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 potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  2. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  3. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  4. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  5. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  6. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  7. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  8. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  9. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  10. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  11. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  12. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  13. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  14. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  15. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  16. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  17. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  18. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  19. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  20. I can't ________________ this cold.
  21. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  22. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  23. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  24. It's one o'clock ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — to eat
  2. mark — to pay attention
  3. sharp — clever
  4. stand — for spectators
  5. mark — a grade
  6. wave — with your hand
  7. wave — a sudden rise
  8. chip — for betting
  9. wave — of the sea
  10. shower — to wash
  11. club — for dancing
  12. bowl — a football final
  13. mark — a trace
  14. bowl — to roll
  15. chip — in a computer
  16. bowl — a dish
  17. club — a group
  18. stand — on your feet
  19. shower — a meteor shower
  20. stand — to bear
  21. sharp — with an edge
  22. club — for golf
  23. shower — rain
  24. sharp — exactly

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