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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 116 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. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  2. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  3. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  4. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  5. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  6. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  7. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  8. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  9. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  10. The King held a masked ________________.
  11. He works in a ________________ mill.
  12. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  13. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  14. That was a fun ________________.
  15. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  16. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  17. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  18. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  19. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  20. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  21. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  22. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  23. She's very handy with a ________________.
  24. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — a grade
  2. game — wild animals
  3. ball — a great time
  4. lean — to rest against
  5. chip — to eat
  6. mark — to pay attention
  7. ball — a round shape
  8. lash — to lash out
  9. lash — an eyelash
  10. ball — a dance
  11. saw — the tool
  12. calf — of the leg
  13. calf — a young animal
  14. game — a match
  15. lean — to bend
  16. chip — for betting
  17. lean — thin
  18. chip — in a computer
  19. lash — a whip stroke
  20. game — a kind of play
  21. calf — a young animal
  22. mark — a trace
  23. saw — the tool
  24. saw — past of 'see'

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