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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. When are we going to ________________?
  2. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  3. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  4. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  5. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  6. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  7. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  8. Have you met the new head ________________?
  9. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  10. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  11. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  12. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  13. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  14. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  15. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  16. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  17. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  18. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  19. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  20. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  21. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  22. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  23. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  24. David sat on the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. land — to come down
  2. can — a tin
  3. can — a tin
  4. land — ground
  5. content — videos and posts
  6. coach — pulled by horses
  7. chip — for betting
  8. coach — a trainer
  9. swing — music
  10. fan — a supporter
  11. content — the amount
  12. coach — a trainer
  13. chip — in a computer
  14. firm — decided
  15. content — happy
  16. can — to be able to
  17. fan — to cool the air
  18. firm — steady
  19. swing — in golf
  20. firm — a company
  21. land — a country
  22. fan — a supporter
  23. chip — to eat
  24. swing — to play on

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