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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. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  2. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  3. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  4. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  5. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  6. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  7. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  8. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  9. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  10. It's one o'clock ________________.
  11. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  12. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  13. Did you ________________ the meat?
  14. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  15. The light ________________ burned out.
  16. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  17. I've got to change the light ________________.
  18. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  19. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  20. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  21. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  22. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  23. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  24. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — a grade
  2. chip — in a computer
  3. pass — a permit
  4. rock — music
  5. chip — for betting
  6. mark — to pay attention
  7. sharp — clever
  8. rock — to move gently
  9. season — in sport
  10. sharp — exactly
  11. bank — for money
  12. bank — for money
  13. season — to add flavour
  14. rock — a stone
  15. bulb — for light
  16. sharp — with an edge
  17. bulb — for light
  18. season — of the year
  19. mark — a trace
  20. pass — to succeed
  21. pass — to spend time
  22. bank — of a river
  23. chip — to eat
  24. bulb — of a plant

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