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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. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  2. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  3. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  4. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  5. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  6. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  7. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  8. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  9. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  10. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  11. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  12. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  13. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  14. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  15. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  16. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  17. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  18. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  19. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  20. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  21. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  22. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  23. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  24. He is as ________________ as a wolf.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — of the sea
  2. wave — a sudden rise
  3. pitch — a sales talk
  4. chip — in a computer
  5. pound — a weight
  6. lean — to bend
  7. bore — to tire
  8. content — happy
  9. content — the amount
  10. pound — for dogs
  11. wave — with your hand
  12. net — for catching
  13. net — in sport
  14. chip — for betting
  15. chip — to eat
  16. pitch — completely
  17. content — videos and posts
  18. pound — to hit hard
  19. lean — to rest against
  20. bore — gave birth
  21. bore — to drill
  22. pitch — a sports field
  23. net — after costs
  24. lean — thin

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