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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 hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  2. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  3. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  4. My mare is ________________ in color.
  5. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  6. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  7. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  8. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  9. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  10. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  11. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  12. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  13. False peace will not ________________.
  14. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  15. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  16. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  17. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  18. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  19. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  20. Have you met the new head ________________?
  21. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  22. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  23. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  24. When will it ________________ you to start?

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

Answer key

  1. mark — a trace
  2. suit — in cards
  3. bay — to keep at bay
  4. bay — a horse colour
  5. chip — in a computer
  6. fine — all right
  7. mark — a grade
  8. last — finally
  9. suit — clothes
  10. chip — for betting
  11. fine — high quality
  12. fine — a penalty
  13. last — to go on
  14. degree — an amount
  15. last — final
  16. degree — temperature
  17. mark — to pay attention
  18. coach — pulled by horses
  19. bay — a part of the sea
  20. coach — a trainer
  21. coach — a trainer
  22. degree — from a university
  23. chip — to eat
  24. suit — to fit

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