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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 train ________________ at six o'clock.
  2. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  3. The King held a masked ________________.
  4. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  5. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  6. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  7. It's one o'clock ________________.
  8. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  9. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  10. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  11. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  12. I'll be taking the ________________.
  13. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  14. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  15. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  16. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  17. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  18. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  19. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  20. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  21. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  22. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  23. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  24. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — to go away
  2. ball — a great time
  3. ball — a dance
  4. wave — a sudden rise
  5. tube — in a tire
  6. wave — of the sea
  7. sharp — exactly
  8. tube — a container
  9. ball — a round shape
  10. chip — for betting
  11. chip — to eat
  12. tube — the underground
  13. mark — a grade
  14. leaves — lets stay
  15. sharp — clever
  16. mark — a trace
  17. chip — in a computer
  18. prune — the fruit
  19. leaves — of a tree
  20. prune — to trim
  21. mark — to pay attention
  22. sharp — with an edge
  23. prune — to trim
  24. wave — with your hand

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