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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. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  2. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  3. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  4. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  5. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  6. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  7. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  8. I'll be taking the ________________.
  9. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  10. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  11. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  12. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  13. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  14. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  15. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  16. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  17. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  18. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  19. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  20. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  21. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  22. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  23. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  24. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.

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

Answer key

  1. tube — a container
  2. mine — belonging to me
  3. mark — to pay attention
  4. dip — to sink
  5. mine — an explosive
  6. pitch — a sales talk
  7. pitch — completely
  8. tube — the underground
  9. fine — high quality
  10. mark — a trace
  11. fan — a supporter
  12. dip — a sauce
  13. chip — for betting
  14. chip — in a computer
  15. fine — all right
  16. pitch — a sports field
  17. chip — to eat
  18. fan — to cool the air
  19. tube — in a tire
  20. fan — a supporter
  21. mark — a grade
  22. mine — for digging
  23. fine — a penalty
  24. dip — to dunk

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