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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. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  2. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  3. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  4. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  5. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  6. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  7. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  8. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  9. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  10. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  11. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  12. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  13. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  14. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  15. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  16. I'll be taking the ________________.
  17. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  18. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  19. My mare is ________________ in color.
  20. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  21. Where did you ________________ them?
  22. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  23. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  24. He refilled his coffee ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — for betting
  2. wave — with your hand
  3. chip — in a computer
  4. content — happy
  5. bay — a part of the sea
  6. lean — to rest against
  7. bay — to keep at bay
  8. branch — of a tree
  9. wave — a sudden rise
  10. tube — in a tire
  11. branch — of a bank
  12. content — the amount
  13. mug — a face
  14. content — videos and posts
  15. branch — a division
  16. tube — the underground
  17. wave — of the sea
  18. tube — a container
  19. bay — a horse colour
  20. lean — to bend
  21. mug — to rob
  22. lean — thin
  23. chip — to eat
  24. mug — a cup

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