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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. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  2. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  3. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  4. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  5. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  6. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  7. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  8. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  9. We're almost out of ________________.
  10. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  11. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  12. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  13. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  14. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  15. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  16. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  17. You don't need to ________________ round.
  18. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  19. That must've been a ________________.
  20. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  21. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  22. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  23. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  24. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.

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

Answer key

  1. pop — music
  2. rush — to hurry
  3. file — a line of people
  4. chip — in a computer
  5. rush — hurry
  6. toast — the most admired
  7. dip — to sink
  8. toast — bread
  9. pop — soda
  10. dip — to dunk
  11. mark — a trace
  12. dip — a sauce
  13. mark — a grade
  14. file — a document
  15. bank — for money
  16. file — a tool
  17. pop — to visit
  18. bank — of a river
  19. rush — a thrill
  20. chip — for betting
  21. chip — to eat
  22. mark — to pay attention
  23. toast — a drink to someone
  24. bank — for money

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