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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 potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  2. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  3. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  4. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  5. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  6. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  7. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  8. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  9. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  10. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  11. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  12. I'll be taking the ________________.
  13. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  14. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  15. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  16. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  17. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  18. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  19. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  20. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  21. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  22. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  23. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  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. chip — to eat
  2. dip — a sauce
  3. mark — a trace
  4. fine — a penalty
  5. rest — what's left
  6. prune — to trim
  7. rest — a break
  8. mark — a grade
  9. fine — all right
  10. dip — to dunk
  11. tube — in a tire
  12. tube — the underground
  13. prune — the fruit
  14. face — to point toward
  15. face — part of the head
  16. face — to confront
  17. chip — in a computer
  18. fine — high quality
  19. rest — what's left
  20. dip — to sink
  21. tube — a container
  22. prune — to trim
  23. mark — to pay attention
  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