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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. He is an ace ________________.
  3. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  4. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  5. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  6. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  7. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  8. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  9. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  10. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  11. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  12. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  13. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  14. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  15. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  16. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  17. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  18. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  19. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  20. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  21. My father caught me by the ________________.
  22. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  23. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  24. The tickets are free of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — a trace
  2. pitcher — in baseball
  3. wave — with your hand
  4. present — the time now
  5. wave — a sudden rise
  6. mark — a grade
  7. chip — for betting
  8. chip — in a computer
  9. pitcher — a jug
  10. craft — a handicraft
  11. chip — to eat
  12. wave — of the sea
  13. mark — to pay attention
  14. arm — part of the body
  15. craft — boats
  16. present — a gift
  17. arm — a part of something
  18. charge — in control
  19. charge — electricity
  20. craft — a skill
  21. arm — part of the body
  22. present — there
  23. pitcher — a jug
  24. charge — a price

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