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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. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  2. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  3. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  4. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  5. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  6. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  7. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  8. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  9. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  10. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  11. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  12. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  13. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  14. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  15. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  16. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  17. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  18. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  19. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  20. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  21. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  22. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  23. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  24. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.

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

Answer key

  1. content — happy
  2. chip — in a computer
  3. ruler — for measuring
  4. chip — to eat
  5. trunk — of a tree
  6. rock — a stone
  7. chip — for betting
  8. racket — a loud noise
  9. ruler — a monarch
  10. dip — to dunk
  11. content — the amount
  12. racket — for tennis
  13. rock — music
  14. dip — a sauce
  15. rock — to move gently
  16. racket — for tennis
  17. can — to be able to
  18. can — a tin
  19. can — a tin
  20. dip — to sink
  21. content — videos and posts
  22. trunk — of an elephant
  23. trunk — of a car
  24. ruler — for measuring

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