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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. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  2. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  3. He is an ace ________________.
  4. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  5. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  6. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  7. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  8. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  9. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  10. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  11. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  12. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  13. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  14. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  15. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  16. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  17. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  18. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  19. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  20. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  21. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  22. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  23. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  24. Check the label for the sugar ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pitcher — a jug
  2. mouse — the animal
  3. pitcher — in baseball
  4. mouse — the animal
  5. prune — to trim
  6. content — videos and posts
  7. firm — steady
  8. firm — a company
  9. pass — to succeed
  10. firm — decided
  11. kick — with a leg
  12. pass — a permit
  13. chip — for betting
  14. chip — in a computer
  15. chip — to eat
  16. pitcher — a jug
  17. prune — the fruit
  18. pass — to spend time
  19. kick — a thrill
  20. prune — to trim
  21. kick — in football
  22. content — happy
  23. mouse — for a computer
  24. content — the amount

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