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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 120 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. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  3. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  4. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  5. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  6. It's one o'clock ________________.
  7. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  8. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  9. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  10. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  11. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  12. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  13. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  14. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  15. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  16. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  17. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  18. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  19. Where did you ________________ them?
  20. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  21. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  22. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  23. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  24. He's quite ________________, isn't he?

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

Answer key

  1. chip — to eat
  2. mark — a grade
  3. chip — in a computer
  4. bat — the animal
  5. pass — a permit
  6. sharp — exactly
  7. present — a gift
  8. sharp — with an edge
  9. content — the amount
  10. content — videos and posts
  11. chip — for betting
  12. pass — to spend time
  13. mark — a trace
  14. content — happy
  15. bat — in an idiom
  16. present — there
  17. mark — to pay attention
  18. present — the time now
  19. mug — to rob
  20. bat — for baseball
  21. pass — to succeed
  22. mug — a cup
  23. mug — a face
  24. sharp — clever

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