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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. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  2. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  3. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  4. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  5. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  6. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  7. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  8. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  9. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  10. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  11. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  12. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  13. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  14. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  15. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  16. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  17. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  18. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  19. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  20. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  21. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  22. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  23. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  24. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.

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

Answer key

  1. can — a tin
  2. chip — to eat
  3. wake — to stop sleeping
  4. board — a committee
  5. mark — a grade
  6. can — a tin
  7. stick — a piece of wood
  8. snap — to speak sharply
  9. chip — in a computer
  10. pitch — completely
  11. mark — a trace
  12. board — to get on
  13. stick — a piece of wood
  14. snap — to click
  15. wake — before a funeral
  16. can — to be able to
  17. stick — to attach or keep to
  18. pitch — a sales talk
  19. board — a flat piece
  20. wake — a trail
  21. pitch — a sports field
  22. chip — for betting
  23. snap — to snap out of it
  24. mark — to pay attention

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