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

  1. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  2. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  3. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  4. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  5. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  6. We're on a ________________ here.
  7. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  8. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  9. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  10. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  11. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  12. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  13. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  14. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  15. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  16. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  17. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  18. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  19. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  20. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  21. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  22. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  23. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  24. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. roll — a cake
  2. can — to be able to
  3. content — the amount
  4. dip — a sauce
  5. deal — to handle
  6. roll — on a roll
  7. chip — to eat
  8. content — videos and posts
  9. race — a contest
  10. chip — in a computer
  11. dip — to sink
  12. roll — a list
  13. content — happy
  14. bass — the fish
  15. can — a tin
  16. chip — for betting
  17. can — a tin
  18. race — humankind
  19. deal — an agreement
  20. bass — low music
  21. bass — the instrument
  22. dip — to dunk
  23. deal — a big deal
  24. race — the arms 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