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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. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  2. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  3. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  4. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  5. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  6. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  7. The ball is in your ________________.
  8. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  9. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  10. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  11. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  12. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  13. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  14. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  15. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  16. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  17. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  18. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  19. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  20. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  21. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  22. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  23. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  24. The spa offers ________________ extensions.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — in a computer
  2. court — of a king
  3. wave — with your hand
  4. net — in sport
  5. court — of law
  6. chip — to eat
  7. court — for sport
  8. mark — to pay attention
  9. mark — a grade
  10. chip — for betting
  11. lash — to lash out
  12. snap — to click
  13. wave — of the sea
  14. mark — a trace
  15. net — for catching
  16. snap — to snap out of it
  17. lash — a whip stroke
  18. patient — calm and waiting
  19. net — after costs
  20. patient — a sick person
  21. wave — a sudden rise
  22. patient — a sick person
  23. snap — to speak sharply
  24. lash — an eyelash

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