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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. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  2. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  3. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  4. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  5. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  6. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  7. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  8. She's very handy with a ________________.
  9. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  10. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  11. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  12. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  13. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  14. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  15. Where did you ________________ them?
  16. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  17. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  18. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  19. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  20. He works in a ________________ mill.
  21. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  22. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  23. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  24. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — for betting
  2. mark — a grade
  3. mark — to pay attention
  4. mug — a face
  5. chair — to sit on
  6. mark — a trace
  7. chair — a leader
  8. saw — the tool
  9. saw — past of 'see'
  10. calf — a young animal
  11. face — to confront
  12. chair — a professorship
  13. rest — a break
  14. mug — a cup
  15. mug — to rob
  16. calf — of the leg
  17. chip — in a computer
  18. rest — what's left
  19. rest — what's left
  20. saw — the tool
  21. calf — a young animal
  22. face — part of the head
  23. chip — to eat
  24. face — to point toward

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