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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. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  2. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  3. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  4. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  5. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  6. Have you met the new head ________________?
  7. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  8. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  9. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  10. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  11. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  12. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  13. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  14. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  15. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  16. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  17. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  18. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  19. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  20. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  21. The water is too ________________.
  22. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  23. Where did you ________________ them?
  24. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.

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

Answer key

  1. mug — a cup
  2. coach — a trainer
  3. club — for dancing
  4. object — a thing
  5. coach — pulled by horses
  6. coach — a trainer
  7. chip — in a computer
  8. content — happy
  9. firm — decided
  10. chip — for betting
  11. content — videos and posts
  12. object — to protest
  13. cold — the Cold War
  14. club — a group
  15. firm — a company
  16. chip — to eat
  17. firm — steady
  18. mug — a face
  19. object — an aim
  20. content — the amount
  21. cold — not warm
  22. club — for golf
  23. mug — to rob
  24. cold — an illness

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