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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. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  2. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  3. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  4. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  5. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  6. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  7. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  8. When was this ________________ built?
  9. How do you ________________ your surname?
  10. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  11. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  12. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  13. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  14. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  15. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  16. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  17. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  18. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  19. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  20. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  21. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  22. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  23. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  24. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.

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

Answer key

  1. fall — to drop
  2. chip — to eat
  3. content — videos and posts
  4. content — the amount
  5. spell — a short time
  6. racket — for tennis
  7. temple — side of the head
  8. temple — a place of worship
  9. spell — letters
  10. spell — magic
  11. content — happy
  12. fall — the season
  13. racket — for tennis
  14. racket — a loud noise
  15. can — to be able to
  16. fall — to drop
  17. perch — for a bird
  18. chip — in a computer
  19. perch — for a bird
  20. can — a tin
  21. chip — for betting
  22. temple — a place of worship
  23. perch — the fish
  24. can — a tin

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