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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 120 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. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  2. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  3. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  4. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  5. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  6. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  7. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  8. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  9. Have you met the new head ________________?
  10. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  11. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  12. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  13. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  14. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  15. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  16. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  17. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  18. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  19. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  20. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  21. The tickets are free of ________________.
  22. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  23. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  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. mark — a grade
  2. wave — with your hand
  3. pit — in a race
  4. pit — a hole
  5. mark — to pay attention
  6. branch — of a bank
  7. coach — a trainer
  8. wave — a sudden rise
  9. coach — a trainer
  10. branch — of a tree
  11. charge — in control
  12. chip — for betting
  13. wave — of the sea
  14. foot — a measure
  15. chip — to eat
  16. pit — a fruit stone
  17. branch — a division
  18. coach — pulled by horses
  19. foot — the bottom
  20. charge — electricity
  21. charge — a price
  22. foot — part of the body
  23. chip — in a computer
  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