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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. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  2. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  3. When will it ________________ you to start?
  4. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  5. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  6. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  7. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  8. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  9. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  10. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  11. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  12. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  13. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  14. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  15. David sat on the ________________.
  16. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  17. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  18. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  19. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  20. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  21. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  22. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  23. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  24. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — to pay attention
  2. suit — in cards
  3. suit — to fit
  4. racket — for tennis
  5. chip — for betting
  6. suit — clothes
  7. chip — in a computer
  8. chip — to eat
  9. racket — for tennis
  10. swing — music
  11. kick — with a leg
  12. band — a music group
  13. foot — part of the body
  14. mark — a grade
  15. swing — to play on
  16. kick — in football
  17. foot — the bottom
  18. racket — a loud noise
  19. mark — a trace
  20. kick — a thrill
  21. swing — in golf
  22. band — a ring
  23. foot — a measure
  24. band — a rubber band

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