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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. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  2. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  3. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  4. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  5. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  6. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  7. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  8. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  9. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  10. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  11. How do you ________________ your surname?
  12. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  13. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  14. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  15. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  16. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  17. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  18. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  19. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  20. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  21. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  22. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  23. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  24. I'll be taking the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — to pay attention
  2. chip — for betting
  3. current — of water
  4. spell — a short time
  5. prune — the fruit
  6. pit — a fruit stone
  7. tube — in a tire
  8. chip — to eat
  9. pit — in a race
  10. bank — for money
  11. spell — letters
  12. prune — to trim
  13. chip — in a computer
  14. mark — a grade
  15. prune — to trim
  16. tube — a container
  17. bank — for money
  18. bank — of a river
  19. pit — a hole
  20. spell — magic
  21. current — happening now
  22. current — electric
  23. mark — a trace
  24. tube — the underground

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