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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. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  2. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  3. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  4. We're almost out of ________________.
  5. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  6. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  7. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  8. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  9. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  10. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  11. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  12. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  13. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  14. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  15. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  16. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  17. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  18. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  19. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  20. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  21. You don't need to ________________ round.
  22. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  23. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  24. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — a trace
  2. leaves — lets stay
  3. chip — in a computer
  4. pop — soda
  5. chip — for betting
  6. bowl — a dish
  7. deal — a big deal
  8. snap — to speak sharply
  9. bark — of a tree
  10. mark — a grade
  11. leaves — of a tree
  12. leaves — to go away
  13. bark — to shout
  14. mark — to pay attention
  15. bark — a dog's sound
  16. deal — an agreement
  17. snap — to snap out of it
  18. deal — to handle
  19. chip — to eat
  20. bowl — to roll
  21. pop — to visit
  22. snap — to click
  23. bowl — a football final
  24. pop — music

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