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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. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  2. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  3. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  4. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  5. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  6. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  7. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  8. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  9. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  10. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  11. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  12. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  13. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  14. Have you met the new head ________________?
  15. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  16. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  17. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  18. He is an ace ________________.
  19. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  20. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  21. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  22. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  23. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  24. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. content — the amount
  2. content — videos and posts
  3. band — a ring
  4. cue — a signal
  5. band — a rubber band
  6. chip — for betting
  7. vault — in gymnastics
  8. face — to point toward
  9. face — to confront
  10. pitcher — a jug
  11. pitcher — a jug
  12. cue — a hint
  13. cue — for pool
  14. coach — a trainer
  15. band — a music group
  16. chip — in a computer
  17. vault — an arched ceiling
  18. pitcher — in baseball
  19. coach — pulled by horses
  20. face — part of the head
  21. vault — a safe
  22. chip — to eat
  23. coach — a trainer
  24. content — happy

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