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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: mug · rash · mark · cell · bark · can · club · chip

  1. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  2. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  3. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  4. Where did you ________________ them?
  5. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  6. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  7. Don't do anything ________________.
  8. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  9. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  10. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  11. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  12. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  13. He was locked up in a ________________.
  14. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  15. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  16. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  17. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  18. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  19. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  20. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  21. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  22. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  23. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  24. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.

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

Answer key

  1. can — a tin
  2. bark — a dog's sound
  3. chip — for betting
  4. mug — to rob
  5. rash — a series
  6. cell — in biology
  7. rash — hasty
  8. bark — of a tree
  9. chip — to eat
  10. mug — a face
  11. cell — a phone
  12. club — a group
  13. cell — in a prison
  14. can — a tin
  15. bark — to shout
  16. rash — on the skin
  17. mark — a trace
  18. mark — to pay attention
  19. club — for golf
  20. can — to be able to
  21. mark — a grade
  22. chip — in a computer
  23. mug — a cup
  24. club — for dancing

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