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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. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  2. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  3. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  4. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  5. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  6. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  7. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  8. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  9. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  10. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  11. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  12. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  13. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  14. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  15. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  16. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  17. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  18. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  19. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  20. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  21. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  22. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  23. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  24. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.

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

Answer key

  1. wake — before a funeral
  2. content — videos and posts
  3. chip — for betting
  4. lash — to lash out
  5. chip — to eat
  6. present — the time now
  7. racket — for tennis
  8. present — a gift
  9. content — happy
  10. bowl — a football final
  11. bowl — to roll
  12. wake — a trail
  13. present — there
  14. racket — a loud noise
  15. racket — for tennis
  16. lash — a whip stroke
  17. content — the amount
  18. face — part of the head
  19. face — to point toward
  20. wake — to stop sleeping
  21. chip — in a computer
  22. bowl — a dish
  23. lash — an eyelash
  24. face — to confront

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