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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: bat · lie · pitcher · tube · mark · snap · chip · mouse

  1. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  2. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  3. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  4. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  5. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  6. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  7. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  8. I'll be taking the ________________.
  9. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  10. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  11. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  12. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  13. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  14. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  15. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  16. He is an ace ________________.
  17. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  18. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  19. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  20. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  21. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  22. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  23. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  24. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — for betting
  2. mark — a trace
  3. snap — to snap out of it
  4. snap — to speak sharply
  5. bat — in an idiom
  6. chip — in a computer
  7. lie — an untruth
  8. tube — the underground
  9. lie — to recline
  10. mark — a grade
  11. mark — to pay attention
  12. pitcher — a jug
  13. lie — an untruth
  14. bat — for baseball
  15. snap — to click
  16. pitcher — in baseball
  17. mouse — the animal
  18. mouse — for a computer
  19. mouse — the animal
  20. chip — to eat
  21. tube — a container
  22. pitcher — a jug
  23. bat — the animal
  24. tube — in a tire

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