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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. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  2. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  3. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  4. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  5. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  6. When are we going to ________________?
  7. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  8. When will it ________________ you to start?
  9. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  10. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  11. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  12. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  13. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  14. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  15. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  16. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  17. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  18. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  19. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  20. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  21. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  22. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  23. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  24. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — of a tree
  2. pass — to spend time
  3. chip — in a computer
  4. net — in sport
  5. pass — to succeed
  6. land — to come down
  7. snap — to speak sharply
  8. suit — to fit
  9. mark — a trace
  10. snap — to click
  11. leaves — to go away
  12. mark — a grade
  13. suit — in cards
  14. suit — clothes
  15. chip — for betting
  16. chip — to eat
  17. pass — a permit
  18. land — ground
  19. snap — to snap out of it
  20. net — after costs
  21. leaves — lets stay
  22. mark — to pay attention
  23. net — for catching
  24. land — a country

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