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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. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  2. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  3. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  4. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  5. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  6. The ________________ went through the wall.
  7. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  8. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  9. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  10. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  11. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  12. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  13. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  14. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  15. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  16. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  17. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  18. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  19. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  20. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  21. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  22. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  23. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  24. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — with your hand
  2. chip — for betting
  3. chip — in a computer
  4. lean — to bend
  5. wave — of the sea
  6. nail — for a hammer
  7. branch — a division
  8. deal — to handle
  9. deal — a big deal
  10. nail — on a finger
  11. lean — thin
  12. lean — to rest against
  13. deal — an agreement
  14. content — the amount
  15. chip — to eat
  16. content — videos and posts
  17. wave — a sudden rise
  18. branch — of a bank
  19. jam — in traffic
  20. jam — to spread on bread
  21. content — happy
  22. nail — for a hammer
  23. jam — a tight spot
  24. branch — of a tree

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