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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. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  2. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  3. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  4. That must've been a ________________.
  5. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  6. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  7. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  8. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  9. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  10. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  11. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  12. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  13. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  14. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  15. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  16. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  17. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  18. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  19. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  20. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  21. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  22. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  23. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  24. My mare is ________________ in color.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — to pay attention
  2. present — there
  3. mark — a trace
  4. rush — a thrill
  5. rush — to hurry
  6. chip — in a computer
  7. chip — to eat
  8. bowl — a dish
  9. mark — a grade
  10. present — a gift
  11. row — a line
  12. row — to paddle
  13. present — the time now
  14. safe — out of danger
  15. bay — to keep at bay
  16. bowl — a football final
  17. chip — for betting
  18. bay — a part of the sea
  19. row — a quarrel
  20. safe — out of danger
  21. bowl — to roll
  22. safe — a strongbox
  23. rush — hurry
  24. bay — a horse colour

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