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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. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  2. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  3. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  4. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  5. Did you ________________ the meat?
  6. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  7. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  8. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  9. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  10. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  11. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  12. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  13. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  14. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  15. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  16. Have you found your soul ________________?
  17. What do you think of the new ________________?
  18. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  19. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  20. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  21. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  22. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  23. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  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. season — in sport
  3. fine — high quality
  4. fine — all right
  5. season — to add flavour
  6. chip — to eat
  7. wound — an injury
  8. cabinet — a cupboard
  9. staff — employees
  10. chip — for betting
  11. season — of the year
  12. wound — past of 'wind'
  13. staff — a stick
  14. mark — to pay attention
  15. wound — an injury
  16. mate — a partner
  17. cabinet — ministers
  18. cabinet — ministers
  19. mate — a friend
  20. chip — in a computer
  21. mate — to breed
  22. staff — employees
  23. fine — a penalty
  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