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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. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  2. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  3. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  4. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  5. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  6. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  7. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  8. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  9. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  10. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  11. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  12. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  13. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  14. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  15. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  16. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  17. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  18. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  19. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  20. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  21. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  22. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  23. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  24. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.

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

Answer key

  1. kick — in football
  2. chip — in a computer
  3. pit — a fruit stone
  4. trunk — of a tree
  5. content — the amount
  6. wave — with your hand
  7. wave — of the sea
  8. trunk — of a car
  9. pitch — a sports field
  10. chip — for betting
  11. trunk — of an elephant
  12. kick — with a leg
  13. content — videos and posts
  14. content — happy
  15. kick — a thrill
  16. pit — in a race
  17. pound — for dogs
  18. pit — a hole
  19. chip — to eat
  20. pitch — completely
  21. pound — a weight
  22. pitch — a sales talk
  23. pound — to hit hard
  24. wave — a sudden rise

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