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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 was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  2. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  3. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  4. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  5. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  6. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  7. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  8. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  9. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  10. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  11. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  12. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  13. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  14. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  15. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  16. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  17. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  18. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  19. The King held a masked ________________.
  20. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  21. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  22. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  23. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  24. The kitten curled into a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a great time
  2. content — the amount
  3. fan — a supporter
  4. fan — to cool the air
  5. chip — for betting
  6. fork — to eat with
  7. fork — in a road
  8. fork — a garden tool
  9. fan — a supporter
  10. bowl — a football final
  11. pass — to succeed
  12. chip — in a computer
  13. pass — a permit
  14. lash — to lash out
  15. content — videos and posts
  16. lash — a whip stroke
  17. content — happy
  18. chip — to eat
  19. ball — a dance
  20. bowl — to roll
  21. lash — an eyelash
  22. bowl — a dish
  23. pass — to spend time
  24. ball — a round shape

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