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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. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  2. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  3. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  4. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  5. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  6. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  7. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  8. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  9. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  10. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  11. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  12. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  13. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  14. Have you met the new head ________________?
  15. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  16. Don't do anything ________________.
  17. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  18. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  19. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  20. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  21. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  22. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  23. When will it ________________ you to start?
  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. can — a tin
  2. can — a tin
  3. mark — a grade
  4. rock — music
  5. chip — to eat
  6. coach — pulled by horses
  7. coach — a trainer
  8. mark — a trace
  9. rock — to move gently
  10. chip — in a computer
  11. suit — clothes
  12. race — humankind
  13. rash — on the skin
  14. coach — a trainer
  15. rash — a series
  16. rash — hasty
  17. rock — a stone
  18. can — to be able to
  19. mark — to pay attention
  20. suit — in cards
  21. race — a contest
  22. race — the arms race
  23. suit — to fit
  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