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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. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  2. My father caught me by the ________________.
  3. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  4. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  5. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  6. The tickets are free of ________________.
  7. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  8. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  9. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  10. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  11. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  12. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  13. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  14. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  15. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  16. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  17. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  18. I'll be taking the ________________.
  19. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  20. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  21. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  22. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  23. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  24. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — a grade
  2. arm — part of the body
  3. chip — to eat
  4. charge — electricity
  5. chip — in a computer
  6. charge — a price
  7. jam — to spread on bread
  8. pass — to succeed
  9. arm — a part of something
  10. pass — a permit
  11. deal — to handle
  12. pass — to spend time
  13. arm — part of the body
  14. chip — for betting
  15. jam — a tight spot
  16. tube — a container
  17. mark — to pay attention
  18. tube — the underground
  19. tube — in a tire
  20. deal — an agreement
  21. charge — in control
  22. mark — a trace
  23. deal — a big deal
  24. jam — in traffic

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