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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 from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: saw · mark · net · fine · snap · pit · perch · chip

  1. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  2. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  3. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  4. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  5. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  6. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  7. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  8. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  9. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  10. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  11. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  12. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  13. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  14. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  15. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  16. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  17. She's very handy with a ________________.
  18. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  19. He works in a ________________ mill.
  20. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  21. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  22. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  23. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  24. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — a grade
  2. chip — for betting
  3. fine — all right
  4. snap — to speak sharply
  5. mark — to pay attention
  6. chip — to eat
  7. mark — a trace
  8. snap — to snap out of it
  9. net — after costs
  10. pit — a fruit stone
  11. perch — the fish
  12. fine — high quality
  13. chip — in a computer
  14. fine — a penalty
  15. pit — a hole
  16. saw — past of 'see'
  17. saw — the tool
  18. net — for catching
  19. saw — the tool
  20. pit — in a race
  21. perch — for a bird
  22. snap — to click
  23. net — in sport
  24. perch — for a bird

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