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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. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  2. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  3. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  4. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  5. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  6. When are we going to ________________?
  7. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  8. The King held a masked ________________.
  9. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  10. We're almost out of ________________.
  11. You don't need to ________________ round.
  12. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  13. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  14. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  15. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  16. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  17. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  18. When was this ________________ built?
  19. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  20. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  21. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  22. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  23. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  24. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — in a computer
  2. content — videos and posts
  3. chip — to eat
  4. content — happy
  5. temple — side of the head
  6. land — to come down
  7. ball — a great time
  8. ball — a dance
  9. land — a country
  10. pop — soda
  11. pop — to visit
  12. fine — a penalty
  13. cap — a lid
  14. cap — of ice
  15. land — ground
  16. pop — music
  17. fine — all right
  18. temple — a place of worship
  19. ball — a round shape
  20. temple — a place of worship
  21. chip — for betting
  22. fine — high quality
  23. content — the amount
  24. cap — a hat

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