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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. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  2. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  3. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  4. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  5. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  6. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  7. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  8. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  9. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  10. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  11. Don't do anything ________________.
  12. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  13. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  14. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  15. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  16. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  17. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  18. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  19. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  20. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  21. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  22. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  23. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  24. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. fan — a supporter
  2. chip — in a computer
  3. foot — the bottom
  4. foot — a measure
  5. mark — to pay attention
  6. foot — part of the body
  7. rash — a series
  8. mark — a grade
  9. trunk — of an elephant
  10. chip — to eat
  11. rash — hasty
  12. fan — a supporter
  13. chip — for betting
  14. trunk — of a car
  15. mark — a trace
  16. trunk — of a tree
  17. wave — with your hand
  18. squash — the vegetable
  19. wave — a sudden rise
  20. fan — to cool the air
  21. squash — to crush
  22. rash — on the skin
  23. squash — the sport
  24. wave — of the sea

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