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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. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  2. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  3. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  4. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  5. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  6. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  7. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  8. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  9. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  10. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  11. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  12. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  13. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  14. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  15. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  16. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  17. The ball is in your ________________.
  18. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  19. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  20. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  21. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  22. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  23. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  24. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — an untruth
  2. content — happy
  3. chip — to eat
  4. pound — to hit hard
  5. toast — bread
  6. safe — a strongbox
  7. lie — an untruth
  8. lie — to recline
  9. court — of law
  10. chip — in a computer
  11. toast — the most admired
  12. wave — a sudden rise
  13. pound — a weight
  14. wave — with your hand
  15. pound — for dogs
  16. safe — out of danger
  17. court — for sport
  18. court — of a king
  19. safe — out of danger
  20. content — the amount
  21. wave — of the sea
  22. content — videos and posts
  23. chip — for betting
  24. toast — a drink to someone

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