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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. The light ________________ burned out.
  3. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  4. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  5. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  6. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  7. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  8. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  9. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  10. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  11. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  12. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  13. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  14. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  15. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  16. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  17. The ________________ went through the wall.
  18. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  19. I've got to change the light ________________.
  20. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  21. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  22. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  23. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  24. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — in a computer
  2. bulb — for light
  3. content — the amount
  4. content — videos and posts
  5. toast — the most admired
  6. bulb — of a plant
  7. squash — the vegetable
  8. dip — a sauce
  9. wave — of the sea
  10. dip — to dunk
  11. chip — to eat
  12. chip — for betting
  13. toast — a drink to someone
  14. squash — to crush
  15. toast — bread
  16. dip — to sink
  17. nail — for a hammer
  18. wave — a sudden rise
  19. bulb — for light
  20. content — happy
  21. squash — the sport
  22. nail — on a finger
  23. nail — for a hammer
  24. wave — with your hand

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