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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. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  2. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  3. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  4. Did you ________________ the meat?
  5. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  6. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  7. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  8. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  9. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  10. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  11. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  12. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  13. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  14. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  15. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  16. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  17. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  18. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  19. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  20. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  21. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  22. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  23. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  24. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stick — to attach or keep to
  2. content — the amount
  3. content — videos and posts
  4. season — to add flavour
  5. row — a quarrel
  6. stick — a piece of wood
  7. row — a line
  8. chip — for betting
  9. branch — of a tree
  10. rest — a break
  11. rest — what's left
  12. chip — in a computer
  13. season — of the year
  14. rest — what's left
  15. mouse — the animal
  16. mouse — for a computer
  17. chip — to eat
  18. stick — a piece of wood
  19. row — to paddle
  20. season — in sport
  21. branch — of a bank
  22. branch — a division
  23. content — happy
  24. mouse — the animal

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