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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. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  2. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  3. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  4. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  5. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  6. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  7. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  8. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  9. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  10. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  11. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  12. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  13. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  14. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  15. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  16. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  17. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  18. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  19. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  20. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  21. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  22. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  23. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  24. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — a company
  2. bowl — a dish
  3. chip — for betting
  4. wave — with your hand
  5. wake — to stop sleeping
  6. bowl — a football final
  7. firm — steady
  8. content — the amount
  9. wake — a trail
  10. wave — of the sea
  11. content — happy
  12. fork — in a road
  13. bore — gave birth
  14. content — videos and posts
  15. chip — in a computer
  16. wake — before a funeral
  17. firm — decided
  18. wave — a sudden rise
  19. fork — to eat with
  20. fork — a garden tool
  21. chip — to eat
  22. bore — to drill
  23. bore — to tire
  24. bowl — to roll

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