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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 ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  2. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  3. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  4. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  5. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  6. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  7. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  8. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  9. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  10. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  11. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  12. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  13. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  14. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  15. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  16. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  17. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  18. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  19. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  20. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  21. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  22. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  23. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  24. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.

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

Answer key

  1. rest — what's left
  2. march — the month
  3. net — for catching
  4. deal — an agreement
  5. chip — in a computer
  6. straw — to clutch at straws
  7. deal — to handle
  8. straw — a straw man
  9. march — the month
  10. chip — for betting
  11. fine — all right
  12. straw — dry grass
  13. net — in sport
  14. rest — a break
  15. fine — a penalty
  16. deal — a big deal
  17. march — music
  18. net — after costs
  19. mark — to pay attention
  20. rest — what's left
  21. mark — a trace
  22. fine — high quality
  23. mark — a grade
  24. chip — to eat

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