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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. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  2. When was this ________________ built?
  3. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  4. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  5. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  6. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  7. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  8. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  9. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  10. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  11. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  12. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  13. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  14. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  15. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  16. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  17. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  18. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  19. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  20. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  21. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  22. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  23. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  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. bear — to put up with
  2. temple — a place of worship
  3. chip — for betting
  4. chip — to eat
  5. squash — to crush
  6. mouse — the animal
  7. bear — the animal
  8. temple — a place of worship
  9. firm — a company
  10. mouse — the animal
  11. firm — steady
  12. mine — belonging to me
  13. squash — the vegetable
  14. chip — in a computer
  15. content — videos and posts
  16. content — the amount
  17. squash — the sport
  18. bear — the animal
  19. mine — for digging
  20. mine — an explosive
  21. temple — side of the head
  22. mouse — for a computer
  23. firm — decided
  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