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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: bowl · chip · fork · can · mark · mug · chest · wind

  1. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  2. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  3. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  4. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  5. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  6. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  7. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  8. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  9. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  10. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  11. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  12. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  13. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  14. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  15. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  16. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  17. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  18. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  19. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  20. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  21. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  22. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  23. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  24. Where did you ________________ them?

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

Answer key

  1. mark — a grade
  2. can — to be able to
  3. mark — a trace
  4. mug — a cup
  5. chip — to eat
  6. fork — in a road
  7. mark — to pay attention
  8. can — a tin
  9. wind — moving air
  10. chest — a box
  11. bowl — to roll
  12. wind — moving air
  13. fork — a garden tool
  14. chip — for betting
  15. chest — of your body
  16. bowl — a dish
  17. wind — to turn a key
  18. bowl — a football final
  19. mug — a face
  20. chip — in a computer
  21. fork — to eat with
  22. can — a tin
  23. chest — of your body
  24. mug — to rob

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