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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. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  2. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  3. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  4. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  5. The ________________ went through the wall.
  6. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  7. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  8. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  9. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  10. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  11. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  12. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  13. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  14. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  15. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  16. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  17. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  18. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  19. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  20. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  21. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  22. Did you ________________ the meat?
  23. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  24. Have you met the new head ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. fine — all right
  2. content — videos and posts
  3. chip — to eat
  4. coach — a trainer
  5. nail — for a hammer
  6. nail — for a hammer
  7. prune — to trim
  8. fine — high quality
  9. hide — animal skin
  10. chip — in a computer
  11. prune — to trim
  12. hide — to keep secret
  13. chip — for betting
  14. season — in sport
  15. nail — on a finger
  16. content — the amount
  17. season — of the year
  18. content — happy
  19. fine — a penalty
  20. hide — to keep secret
  21. coach — pulled by horses
  22. season — to add flavour
  23. prune — the fruit
  24. coach — a trainer

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