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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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468
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  2. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  3. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  4. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  5. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  6. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  7. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  8. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  9. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  10. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  11. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  12. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  13. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  14. When was this ________________ built?
  15. He was locked up in a ________________.
  16. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  17. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  18. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  19. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  20. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  21. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  22. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  23. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  24. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — in a computer
  2. chip — to eat
  3. leaves — to go away
  4. cell — in biology
  5. wake — a trail
  6. deal — to handle
  7. deal — a big deal
  8. present — the time now
  9. temple — a place of worship
  10. present — a gift
  11. content — videos and posts
  12. wake — before a funeral
  13. deal — an agreement
  14. temple — a place of worship
  15. cell — in a prison
  16. cell — a phone
  17. present — there
  18. temple — side of the head
  19. content — the amount
  20. content — happy
  21. leaves — lets stay
  22. wake — to stop sleeping
  23. leaves — of a tree
  24. chip — for betting

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