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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. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  2. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  3. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  4. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  5. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  6. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  7. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  8. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  9. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  10. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  11. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  12. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  13. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  14. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  15. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  16. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  17. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  18. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  19. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  20. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  21. Where did you ________________ them?
  22. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  23. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  24. Do you need a ________________ with that?

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

Answer key

  1. mark — a trace
  2. kid — child
  3. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  4. squash — the sport
  5. squash — to crush
  6. present — there
  7. squash — the vegetable
  8. chip — to eat
  9. kid — to tease
  10. mark — to pay attention
  11. chip — for betting
  12. mouse — the animal
  13. mouse — for a computer
  14. hand — in cards
  15. present — the time now
  16. present — a gift
  17. mouse — the animal
  18. chip — in a computer
  19. mug — a face
  20. mug — a cup
  21. mug — to rob
  22. hand — part of the body
  23. mark — a grade
  24. hand — help

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