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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. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  2. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  3. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  4. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  5. He was locked up in a ________________.
  6. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  7. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  8. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  9. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  10. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  11. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  12. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  13. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  14. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  15. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  16. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  17. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  18. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  19. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  20. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  21. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  22. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  23. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  24. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — to recline
  2. mark — a grade
  3. mark — to pay attention
  4. trunk — of a tree
  5. cell — in a prison
  6. cell — in biology
  7. trunk — of an elephant
  8. mouse — for a computer
  9. mark — a trace
  10. foot — the bottom
  11. wound — an injury
  12. mouse — the animal
  13. cell — a phone
  14. wound — past of 'wind'
  15. lie — an untruth
  16. mouse — the animal
  17. trunk — of a car
  18. lie — an untruth
  19. wound — an injury
  20. foot — a measure
  21. chip — to eat
  22. chip — in a computer
  23. foot — part of the body
  24. chip — for betting

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