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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 120 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 got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  3. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  4. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  5. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  6. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  7. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  8. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  9. The tickets are free of ________________.
  10. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  11. That must've been a ________________.
  12. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  13. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  14. The ________________ market has crashed.
  15. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  16. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  17. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  18. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  19. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  20. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  21. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  22. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  23. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  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. mark — a trace
  2. fine — a penalty
  3. trunk — of a tree
  4. chip — to eat
  5. trunk — of a car
  6. trunk — of an elephant
  7. chip — in a computer
  8. mark — to pay attention
  9. charge — a price
  10. file — a tool
  11. rush — a thrill
  12. charge — electricity
  13. rush — to hurry
  14. stock — shares
  15. file — a line of people
  16. chip — for betting
  17. stock — a soup base
  18. fine — all right
  19. charge — in control
  20. stock — goods
  21. file — a document
  22. rush — hurry
  23. fine — high quality
  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