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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: chip · bay · can · firm · snap · present · court · mark

  1. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  2. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  3. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  4. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  5. My mare is ________________ in color.
  6. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  7. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  8. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  9. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  10. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  11. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  12. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  13. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  14. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  15. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  16. The ball is in your ________________.
  17. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  18. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  19. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  20. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  21. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  22. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  23. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  24. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — decided
  2. bay — to keep at bay
  3. court — of law
  4. can — a tin
  5. bay — a horse colour
  6. can — a tin
  7. mark — a grade
  8. can — to be able to
  9. present — the time now
  10. snap — to snap out of it
  11. court — of a king
  12. chip — for betting
  13. snap — to click
  14. mark — to pay attention
  15. mark — a trace
  16. court — for sport
  17. chip — in a computer
  18. present — there
  19. firm — a company
  20. present — a gift
  21. bay — a part of the sea
  22. firm — steady
  23. snap — to speak sharply
  24. chip — to eat

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