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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 120 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. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  2. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  3. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  4. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  5. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  6. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  7. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  8. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  9. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  10. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  11. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  12. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  13. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  14. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  15. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  16. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  17. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  18. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  19. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  20. My mare is ________________ in color.
  21. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  22. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  23. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  24. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.

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

Answer key

  1. content — the amount
  2. content — videos and posts
  3. bay — a part of the sea
  4. bay — to keep at bay
  5. stick — to attach or keep to
  6. chip — for betting
  7. board — to get on
  8. content — happy
  9. chip — to eat
  10. cap — a lid
  11. chip — in a computer
  12. lie — an untruth
  13. board — a flat piece
  14. pit — a fruit stone
  15. pit — a hole
  16. board — a committee
  17. lie — to recline
  18. cap — a hat
  19. cap — of ice
  20. bay — a horse colour
  21. stick — a piece of wood
  22. stick — a piece of wood
  23. lie — an untruth
  24. pit — in a race

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