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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 120 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. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  2. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  3. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  4. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  5. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  6. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  7. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  8. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  9. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  10. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  11. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  12. When will it ________________ you to start?
  13. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  14. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  15. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  16. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  17. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  18. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  19. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  20. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  21. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  22. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  23. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  24. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.

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

Answer key

  1. fine — all right
  2. dip — to dunk
  3. mouse — the animal
  4. chip — to eat
  5. fine — high quality
  6. file — a document
  7. chip — in a computer
  8. perch — for a bird
  9. suit — in cards
  10. content — happy
  11. content — videos and posts
  12. suit — to fit
  13. file — a line of people
  14. perch — the fish
  15. dip — to sink
  16. mouse — for a computer
  17. file — a tool
  18. fine — a penalty
  19. perch — for a bird
  20. chip — for betting
  21. content — the amount
  22. suit — clothes
  23. dip — a sauce
  24. mouse — the animal

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