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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 116 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. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  2. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  3. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  4. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  5. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  6. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  7. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  8. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  9. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  10. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  11. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  12. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  13. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  14. The ________________ went through the wall.
  15. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  16. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  17. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  18. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  19. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  20. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  21. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  22. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  23. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  24. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stick — to attach or keep to
  2. chip — in a computer
  3. wake — a trail
  4. perch — for a bird
  5. perch — for a bird
  6. chip — to eat
  7. mark — a trace
  8. content — the amount
  9. wake — before a funeral
  10. nail — on a finger
  11. mark — a grade
  12. chip — for betting
  13. nail — for a hammer
  14. nail — for a hammer
  15. content — videos and posts
  16. stick — a piece of wood
  17. bank — for money
  18. bank — for money
  19. stick — a piece of wood
  20. mark — to pay attention
  21. bank — of a river
  22. perch — the fish
  23. wake — to stop sleeping
  24. content — happy

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