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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. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  2. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  3. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  4. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  5. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  6. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  7. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  8. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  9. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  10. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  11. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  12. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  13. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  14. The King held a masked ________________.
  15. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  16. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  17. How do you ________________ your surname?
  18. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  19. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  20. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  21. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  22. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  23. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  24. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — for betting
  2. pound — a weight
  3. present — there
  4. chip — to eat
  5. content — the amount
  6. content — videos and posts
  7. present — a gift
  8. present — the time now
  9. board — to get on
  10. ball — a great time
  11. pound — to hit hard
  12. board — a flat piece
  13. spell — a short time
  14. ball — a dance
  15. spell — magic
  16. march — the month
  17. spell — letters
  18. ball — a round shape
  19. board — a committee
  20. pound — for dogs
  21. march — music
  22. chip — in a computer
  23. content — happy
  24. march — the month

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