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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. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  2. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  3. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  4. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  5. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  6. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  7. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  8. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  9. Have you found your soul ________________?
  10. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  11. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  12. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  13. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  14. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  15. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  16. When will it ________________ you to start?
  17. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  18. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  19. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  20. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  21. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  22. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  23. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  24. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.

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

Answer key

  1. straw — dry grass
  2. toast — the most admired
  3. chip — to eat
  4. dip — to dunk
  5. can — to be able to
  6. dip — a sauce
  7. suit — in cards
  8. mate — to breed
  9. mate — a partner
  10. content — videos and posts
  11. can — a tin
  12. chip — in a computer
  13. content — happy
  14. chip — for betting
  15. mate — a friend
  16. suit — to fit
  17. suit — clothes
  18. can — a tin
  19. straw — to clutch at straws
  20. straw — a straw man
  21. dip — to sink
  22. content — the amount
  23. toast — bread
  24. toast — a drink to someone

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