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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. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  2. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  3. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  4. We're on a ________________ here.
  5. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  6. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  7. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  8. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  9. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  10. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  11. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  12. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  13. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  14. My father caught me by the ________________.
  15. That must've been a ________________.
  16. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  17. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  18. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  19. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  20. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  21. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  22. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  23. I'll be taking the ________________.
  24. She got the top ________________ in the exam.

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

Answer key

  1. can — a tin
  2. roll — a cake
  3. chip — to eat
  4. roll — on a roll
  5. mark — to pay attention
  6. tube — a container
  7. arm — part of the body
  8. arm — a part of something
  9. rush — hurry
  10. rush — to hurry
  11. lie — to recline
  12. tube — in a tire
  13. chip — in a computer
  14. arm — part of the body
  15. rush — a thrill
  16. mark — a trace
  17. chip — for betting
  18. can — to be able to
  19. roll — a list
  20. lie — an untruth
  21. can — a tin
  22. lie — an untruth
  23. tube — the underground
  24. mark — a grade

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