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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. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  2. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  3. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  4. I can't ________________ this cold.
  5. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  6. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  7. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  8. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  9. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  10. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  11. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  12. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  13. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  14. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  15. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  16. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  17. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  18. The light ________________ burned out.
  19. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  20. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  21. I've got to change the light ________________.
  22. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  23. That must've been a ________________.
  24. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — for betting
  2. mark — to pay attention
  3. face — part of the head
  4. stand — to bear
  5. object — to protest
  6. chip — to eat
  7. stand — for spectators
  8. face — to point toward
  9. rush — to hurry
  10. trunk — of a car
  11. face — to confront
  12. trunk — of an elephant
  13. stand — on your feet
  14. rush — hurry
  15. mark — a grade
  16. object — a thing
  17. object — an aim
  18. bulb — for light
  19. chip — in a computer
  20. bulb — of a plant
  21. bulb — for light
  22. trunk — of a tree
  23. rush — a thrill
  24. mark — a trace

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