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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 116 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. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  2. It's one o'clock ________________.
  3. I'll be taking the ________________.
  4. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  5. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  6. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  7. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  8. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  9. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  10. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  11. I can't ________________ this cold.
  12. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  13. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  14. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  15. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  16. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  17. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  18. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  19. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  20. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  21. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  22. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  23. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  24. She got the top ________________ in the exam.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — the animal
  2. sharp — exactly
  3. tube — the underground
  4. mark — a trace
  5. wave — with your hand
  6. sharp — clever
  7. wave — of the sea
  8. tube — a container
  9. pit — in a race
  10. wave — a sudden rise
  11. stand — to bear
  12. chip — for betting
  13. chip — to eat
  14. sharp — with an edge
  15. chip — in a computer
  16. mouse — for a computer
  17. tube — in a tire
  18. stand — for spectators
  19. mouse — the animal
  20. mark — to pay attention
  21. pit — a fruit stone
  22. pit — a hole
  23. stand — on your feet
  24. mark — a grade

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