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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. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  2. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  3. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  4. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  5. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  6. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  7. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  8. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  9. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  10. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  11. When was this ________________ built?
  12. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  13. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  14. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  15. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  16. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  17. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  18. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  19. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  20. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  21. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  22. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  23. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  24. Check the label for the sugar ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. fan — a supporter
  2. club — a group
  3. club — for dancing
  4. fan — to cool the air
  5. chip — in a computer
  6. club — for golf
  7. can — a tin
  8. lie — an untruth
  9. chip — to eat
  10. dip — to dunk
  11. temple — a place of worship
  12. lie — to recline
  13. fan — a supporter
  14. can — a tin
  15. temple — a place of worship
  16. can — to be able to
  17. temple — side of the head
  18. dip — to sink
  19. content — videos and posts
  20. content — happy
  21. lie — an untruth
  22. chip — for betting
  23. dip — a sauce
  24. content — the amount

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