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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. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  2. Have you settled on a ________________?
  3. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  4. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  5. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  6. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  7. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  8. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  9. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  10. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  11. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  12. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  13. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  14. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  15. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  16. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  17. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  18. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  19. We're on a ________________ here.
  20. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  21. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  22. What do you think of the new ________________?
  23. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  24. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.

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

Answer key

  1. roll — a cake
  2. date — on the calendar
  3. kick — a thrill
  4. can — to be able to
  5. date — the fruit
  6. can — a tin
  7. cabinet — a cupboard
  8. pass — to succeed
  9. mark — to pay attention
  10. kick — with a leg
  11. chip — to eat
  12. kick — in football
  13. pass — to spend time
  14. can — a tin
  15. mark — a trace
  16. pass — a permit
  17. roll — a list
  18. cabinet — ministers
  19. roll — on a roll
  20. date — on the calendar
  21. chip — in a computer
  22. cabinet — ministers
  23. mark — a grade
  24. chip — for betting

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