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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. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  2. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  3. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  4. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  5. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  6. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  7. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  8. Don't do anything ________________.
  9. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  10. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  11. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  12. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  13. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  14. Have you found your soul ________________?
  15. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  16. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  17. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  18. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  19. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  20. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  21. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  22. The ball is in your ________________.
  23. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  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. prune — the fruit
  2. mark — a grade
  3. mark — a trace
  4. fine — high quality
  5. hide — to keep secret
  6. chip — to eat
  7. rash — a series
  8. rash — hasty
  9. court — of law
  10. fine — all right
  11. prune — to trim
  12. mate — a friend
  13. prune — to trim
  14. mate — a partner
  15. court — of a king
  16. mate — to breed
  17. mark — to pay attention
  18. hide — to keep secret
  19. fine — a penalty
  20. rash — on the skin
  21. hide — animal skin
  22. court — for sport
  23. chip — in a computer
  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