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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: club · pit · lean · game · mark · present · pass · chip

  1. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  2. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  3. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  4. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  5. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  6. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  7. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  8. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  9. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  10. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  11. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  12. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  13. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  14. That was a fun ________________.
  15. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  16. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  17. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  18. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  19. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  20. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  21. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  22. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  23. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  24. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — in a computer
  2. club — a group
  3. lean — to rest against
  4. pit — a fruit stone
  5. mark — to pay attention
  6. pass — to succeed
  7. chip — for betting
  8. club — for dancing
  9. present — the time now
  10. club — for golf
  11. lean — thin
  12. chip — to eat
  13. mark — a grade
  14. game — a match
  15. game — wild animals
  16. pass — to spend time
  17. pass — a permit
  18. game — a kind of play
  19. present — there
  20. present — a gift
  21. mark — a trace
  22. pit — a hole
  23. lean — to bend
  24. pit — in a race

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