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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. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  2. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  3. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  4. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  5. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  6. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  7. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  8. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  9. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  10. I can't ________________ this cold.
  11. I've got to change the light ________________.
  12. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  13. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  14. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  15. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  16. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  17. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  18. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  19. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  20. The light ________________ burned out.
  21. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  22. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  23. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  24. Hold the papers together with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — in a computer
  2. content — the amount
  3. content — videos and posts
  4. object — a thing
  5. craft — boats
  6. object — an aim
  7. bank — for money
  8. bank — of a river
  9. chip — to eat
  10. stand — to bear
  11. bulb — for light
  12. bank — for money
  13. content — happy
  14. stand — for spectators
  15. clip — a video
  16. chip — for betting
  17. craft — a handicraft
  18. object — to protest
  19. bulb — of a plant
  20. bulb — for light
  21. craft — a skill
  22. clip — to cut
  23. stand — on your feet
  24. clip — for paper

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