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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. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  2. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  3. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  4. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  5. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  6. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  7. I've got to change the light ________________.
  8. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  9. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  10. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  11. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  12. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  13. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  14. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  15. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  16. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  17. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  18. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  19. The light ________________ burned out.
  20. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  21. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  22. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  23. That must've been a ________________.
  24. Check the label for the sugar ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — an untruth
  2. foot — the bottom
  3. chip — for betting
  4. dip — to dunk
  5. lie — an untruth
  6. foot — part of the body
  7. bulb — for light
  8. lie — to recline
  9. bulb — of a plant
  10. spring — the season
  11. spring — a coil
  12. chip — to eat
  13. content — happy
  14. dip — a sauce
  15. content — videos and posts
  16. spring — of water
  17. rush — to hurry
  18. chip — in a computer
  19. bulb — for light
  20. rush — hurry
  21. dip — to sink
  22. foot — a measure
  23. rush — a thrill
  24. content — the amount

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