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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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Word bank
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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: spring · net · pit · leaves · staff · mark · chip · bear

  1. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  2. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  3. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  4. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  5. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  6. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  7. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  8. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  9. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  10. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  11. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  12. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  13. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  14. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  15. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  16. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  17. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  18. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  19. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  20. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  21. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  22. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  23. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  24. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — a trace
  2. net — in sport
  3. leaves — of a tree
  4. mark — to pay attention
  5. leaves — to go away
  6. chip — to eat
  7. leaves — lets stay
  8. pit — in a race
  9. staff — a stick
  10. net — for catching
  11. bear — the animal
  12. spring — of water
  13. chip — in a computer
  14. mark — a grade
  15. bear — to put up with
  16. staff — employees
  17. spring — the season
  18. pit — a fruit stone
  19. staff — employees
  20. chip — for betting
  21. pit — a hole
  22. net — after costs
  23. bear — the animal
  24. spring — a coil

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