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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. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  2. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  3. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  4. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  5. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  6. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  7. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  8. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  9. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  10. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  11. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  12. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  13. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  14. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  15. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  16. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  17. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  18. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  19. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  20. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  21. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  22. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  23. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  24. He hit the ball with his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. fan — a supporter
  2. hide — to keep secret
  3. mouse — for a computer
  4. fan — a supporter
  5. chip — to eat
  6. row — a quarrel
  7. racket — a loud noise
  8. row — to paddle
  9. present — the time now
  10. mouse — the animal
  11. chip — for betting
  12. content — the amount
  13. racket — for tennis
  14. hide — to keep secret
  15. chip — in a computer
  16. fan — to cool the air
  17. present — a gift
  18. mouse — the animal
  19. content — videos and posts
  20. present — there
  21. content — happy
  22. hide — animal skin
  23. row — a line
  24. racket — for tennis

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