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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. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  2. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  3. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  4. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  5. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  6. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  7. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  8. The ________________ went through the wall.
  9. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  10. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  11. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  12. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  13. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  14. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  15. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  16. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  17. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  18. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  19. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  20. The ________________ market has crashed.
  21. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  22. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  23. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  24. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — to sink
  2. rock — music
  3. mine — belonging to me
  4. stock — goods
  5. nail — for a hammer
  6. rock — to move gently
  7. dip — a sauce
  8. nail — for a hammer
  9. mine — for digging
  10. nail — on a finger
  11. chip — to eat
  12. stock — a soup base
  13. chip — for betting
  14. rock — a stone
  15. calf — of the leg
  16. calf — a young animal
  17. calf — a young animal
  18. dip — to dunk
  19. chip — in a computer
  20. stock — shares
  21. content — the amount
  22. content — videos and posts
  23. mine — an explosive
  24. content — happy

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