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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. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  2. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  3. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  4. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  5. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  6. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  7. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  8. The King held a masked ________________.
  9. My father caught me by the ________________.
  10. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  11. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  12. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  13. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  14. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  15. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  16. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  17. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  18. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  19. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  20. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  21. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  22. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  23. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  24. The train ________________ at six o'clock.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — to eat
  2. leaves — of a tree
  3. ball — a round shape
  4. content — the amount
  5. content — happy
  6. arm — part of the body
  7. hide — to keep secret
  8. ball — a dance
  9. arm — part of the body
  10. rest — what's left
  11. hide — animal skin
  12. chip — for betting
  13. content — videos and posts
  14. rest — what's left
  15. arm — a part of something
  16. rest — a break
  17. craft — boats
  18. ball — a great time
  19. craft — a skill
  20. chip — in a computer
  21. leaves — lets stay
  22. hide — to keep secret
  23. craft — a handicraft
  24. leaves — to go away

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