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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. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  2. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  3. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  4. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  5. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  6. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  7. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  8. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  9. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  10. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  11. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  12. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  13. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  14. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  15. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  16. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  17. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  18. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  19. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  20. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  21. She's very handy with a ________________.
  22. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  23. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  24. He works in a ________________ mill.

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

Answer key

  1. bowl — to roll
  2. foot — part of the body
  3. hide — animal skin
  4. foot — the bottom
  5. hide — to keep secret
  6. wake — before a funeral
  7. cue — a hint
  8. chip — in a computer
  9. foot — a measure
  10. cue — for pool
  11. chip — for betting
  12. mark — a grade
  13. bowl — a football final
  14. bowl — a dish
  15. hide — to keep secret
  16. chip — to eat
  17. mark — a trace
  18. wake — to stop sleeping
  19. wake — a trail
  20. saw — past of 'see'
  21. saw — the tool
  22. mark — to pay attention
  23. cue — a signal
  24. saw — the tool

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