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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. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  2. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  3. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  4. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  5. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  6. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  7. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  8. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  9. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  10. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  11. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  12. David sat on the ________________.
  13. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  14. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  15. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  16. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  17. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  18. I can't ________________ this cold.
  19. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  20. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  21. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  22. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  23. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  24. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — to eat
  2. content — the amount
  3. ruler — a monarch
  4. swing — in golf
  5. content — videos and posts
  6. ruler — for measuring
  7. band — a rubber band
  8. stand — on your feet
  9. racket — for tennis
  10. board — a committee
  11. board — to get on
  12. swing — to play on
  13. board — a flat piece
  14. content — happy
  15. racket — for tennis
  16. chip — for betting
  17. band — a music group
  18. stand — to bear
  19. swing — music
  20. stand — for spectators
  21. chip — in a computer
  22. racket — a loud noise
  23. ruler — for measuring
  24. band — a ring

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