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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. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  2. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  3. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  4. The ________________ went through the wall.
  5. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  6. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  7. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  8. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  9. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  10. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  11. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  12. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  13. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  14. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  15. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  16. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  17. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  18. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  19. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  20. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  21. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  22. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  23. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  24. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. chip — to eat
  2. staff — employees
  3. track — to keep track
  4. nail — for a hammer
  5. staff — employees
  6. mark — a trace
  7. wave — with your hand
  8. mark — to pay attention
  9. track — a song
  10. pit — a hole
  11. wave — a sudden rise
  12. present — there
  13. staff — a stick
  14. mark — a grade
  15. present — a gift
  16. track — a path
  17. nail — for a hammer
  18. present — the time now
  19. chip — for betting
  20. chip — in a computer
  21. pit — in a race
  22. nail — on a finger
  23. wave — of the sea
  24. pit — a fruit stone

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