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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. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  2. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  3. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  4. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  5. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  6. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  7. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  8. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  9. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  10. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  11. When was this ________________ built?
  12. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  13. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  14. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  15. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  16. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  17. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  18. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  19. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  20. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  21. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  22. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  23. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  24. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. can — a tin
  2. lean — to bend
  3. chip — for betting
  4. lean — thin
  5. trunk — of a car
  6. chip — to eat
  7. cue — a signal
  8. cue — for pool
  9. content — videos and posts
  10. can — a tin
  11. temple — a place of worship
  12. perch — the fish
  13. can — to be able to
  14. chip — in a computer
  15. trunk — of an elephant
  16. cue — a hint
  17. lean — to rest against
  18. content — the amount
  19. temple — side of the head
  20. perch — for a bird
  21. trunk — of a tree
  22. temple — a place of worship
  23. perch — for a bird
  24. content — happy

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