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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. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  2. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  3. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  4. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  5. We're almost out of ________________.
  6. When was this ________________ built?
  7. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  8. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  9. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  10. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  11. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  12. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  13. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  14. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  15. You don't need to ________________ round.
  16. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  17. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  18. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  19. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  20. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  21. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  22. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  23. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  24. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — to eat
  2. content — happy
  3. stick — a piece of wood
  4. root — the cause
  5. pop — soda
  6. temple — a place of worship
  7. temple — side of the head
  8. pop — music
  9. chip — in a computer
  10. wave — with your hand
  11. wave — of the sea
  12. stick — to attach or keep to
  13. content — the amount
  14. content — videos and posts
  15. pop — to visit
  16. wave — a sudden rise
  17. root — of a plant
  18. board — a flat piece
  19. board — a committee
  20. root — of a word
  21. stick — a piece of wood
  22. temple — a place of worship
  23. board — to get on
  24. chip — for betting

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