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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. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  2. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  3. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  4. When will it ________________ you to start?
  5. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  6. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  7. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  8. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  9. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  10. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  11. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  12. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  13. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  14. When are we going to ________________?
  15. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  16. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  17. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  18. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  19. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  20. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  21. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  22. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  23. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  24. There's a computer ________________ on the table.

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

Answer key

  1. content — videos and posts
  2. trunk — of a car
  3. content — happy
  4. suit — to fit
  5. content — the amount
  6. cue — a hint
  7. firm — a company
  8. firm — steady
  9. bowl — a football final
  10. trunk — of a tree
  11. bowl — to roll
  12. cue — for pool
  13. firm — decided
  14. land — to come down
  15. land — a country
  16. cue — a signal
  17. land — ground
  18. chip — to eat
  19. suit — clothes
  20. suit — in cards
  21. trunk — of an elephant
  22. bowl — a dish
  23. chip — for betting
  24. chip — in a computer

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