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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. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  2. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  3. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  4. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  5. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  6. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  7. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  8. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  9. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  10. The ________________ went through the wall.
  11. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  12. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  13. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  14. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  15. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  16. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  17. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  18. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  19. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  20. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  21. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  22. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  23. He is an ace ________________.
  24. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — for betting
  2. pitcher — a jug
  3. scale — in music
  4. content — videos and posts
  5. nail — for a hammer
  6. safe — a strongbox
  7. safe — out of danger
  8. chip — in a computer
  9. content — the amount
  10. nail — for a hammer
  11. pitcher — a jug
  12. content — happy
  13. nail — on a finger
  14. scale — for weighing
  15. toast — a drink to someone
  16. straw — to clutch at straws
  17. straw — dry grass
  18. scale — size or range
  19. toast — the most admired
  20. straw — a straw man
  21. safe — out of danger
  22. toast — bread
  23. pitcher — in baseball
  24. chip — to eat

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