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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. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  2. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  3. What do you think of the new ________________?
  4. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  5. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  6. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  7. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  8. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  9. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  10. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  11. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  12. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  13. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  14. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  15. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  16. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  17. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  18. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  19. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  20. David sat on the ________________.
  21. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  22. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  23. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  24. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — in a computer
  2. prune — the fruit
  3. cabinet — ministers
  4. pitch — a sales talk
  5. content — the amount
  6. swing — music
  7. leaves — of a tree
  8. leaves — lets stay
  9. swing — in golf
  10. chip — to eat
  11. content — happy
  12. chip — for betting
  13. prune — to trim
  14. root — of a plant
  15. cabinet — ministers
  16. leaves — to go away
  17. content — videos and posts
  18. cabinet — a cupboard
  19. root — of a word
  20. swing — to play on
  21. root — the cause
  22. prune — to trim
  23. pitch — a sports field
  24. pitch — completely

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