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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. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  2. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  3. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  4. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  5. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  6. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  7. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  8. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  9. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  10. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  11. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  12. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  13. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  14. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  15. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  16. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  17. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  18. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  19. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  20. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  21. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  22. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  23. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  24. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?

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

Answer key

  1. rock — a stone
  2. chip — to eat
  3. content — videos and posts
  4. present — there
  5. chip — in a computer
  6. calf — a young animal
  7. rock — music
  8. present — the time now
  9. content — happy
  10. chip — for betting
  11. pound — a weight
  12. content — the amount
  13. dip — to sink
  14. straw — dry grass
  15. dip — a sauce
  16. straw — to clutch at straws
  17. calf — of the leg
  18. calf — a young animal
  19. dip — to dunk
  20. pound — to hit hard
  21. straw — a straw man
  22. pound — for dogs
  23. rock — to move gently
  24. present — a gift

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