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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. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  2. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  3. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  4. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  5. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  6. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  7. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  8. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  9. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  10. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  11. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  12. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  13. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  14. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  15. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  16. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  17. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  18. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  19. He is an ace ________________.
  20. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  21. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  22. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  23. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  24. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stick — a piece of wood
  2. chip — to eat
  3. content — happy
  4. mouse — for a computer
  5. pitcher — a jug
  6. ruler — for measuring
  7. mouse — the animal
  8. chip — in a computer
  9. foot — part of the body
  10. foot — the bottom
  11. content — the amount
  12. mouse — the animal
  13. content — videos and posts
  14. pitcher — a jug
  15. bank — for money
  16. chip — for betting
  17. ruler — a monarch
  18. ruler — for measuring
  19. pitcher — in baseball
  20. bank — of a river
  21. stick — to attach or keep to
  22. bank — for money
  23. foot — a measure
  24. stick — a piece of wood

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