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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. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  2. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  3. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  4. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  5. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  6. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  7. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  8. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  9. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  10. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  11. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  12. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  13. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  14. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  15. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  16. Have you met the new head ________________?
  17. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  18. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  19. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  20. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  21. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  22. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  23. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  24. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — in a computer
  2. pass — to spend time
  3. band — a ring
  4. bark — of a tree
  5. bark — to shout
  6. pass — a permit
  7. wound — an injury
  8. mark — to pay attention
  9. band — a rubber band
  10. coach — a trainer
  11. can — to be able to
  12. mark — a grade
  13. can — a tin
  14. chip — to eat
  15. coach — pulled by horses
  16. coach — a trainer
  17. wound — an injury
  18. mark — a trace
  19. can — a tin
  20. bark — a dog's sound
  21. wound — past of 'wind'
  22. pass — to succeed
  23. band — a music group
  24. chip — for betting

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