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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. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  2. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  3. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  4. When was this ________________ built?
  5. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  6. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  7. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  8. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  9. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  10. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  11. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  12. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  13. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  14. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  15. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  16. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  17. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  18. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  19. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  20. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  21. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  22. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  23. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  24. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.

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

Answer key

  1. present — a gift
  2. firm — steady
  3. chip — in a computer
  4. temple — a place of worship
  5. chip — for betting
  6. hide — animal skin
  7. wind — to turn a key
  8. chip — to eat
  9. temple — side of the head
  10. temple — a place of worship
  11. present — the time now
  12. mouse — for a computer
  13. wind — moving air
  14. hide — to keep secret
  15. wind — moving air
  16. content — videos and posts
  17. firm — a company
  18. mouse — the animal
  19. content — the amount
  20. content — happy
  21. present — there
  22. hide — to keep secret
  23. mouse — the animal
  24. firm — decided

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