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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. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  3. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  4. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  5. We're on a ________________ here.
  6. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  7. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  8. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  9. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  10. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  11. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  12. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  13. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  14. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  15. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  16. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  17. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  18. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  19. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  20. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  21. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  22. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  23. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  24. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — a trace
  2. rest — a break
  3. pound — for dogs
  4. rest — what's left
  5. roll — on a roll
  6. chip — for betting
  7. chip — to eat
  8. can — to be able to
  9. can — a tin
  10. firm — decided
  11. mark — a grade
  12. wake — before a funeral
  13. roll — a list
  14. rest — what's left
  15. wake — a trail
  16. firm — a company
  17. pound — a weight
  18. mark — to pay attention
  19. wake — to stop sleeping
  20. chip — in a computer
  21. pound — to hit hard
  22. can — a tin
  23. roll — a cake
  24. firm — steady

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