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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 potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  2. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  3. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  4. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  5. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  6. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  7. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  8. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  9. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  10. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  11. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  12. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  13. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  14. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  15. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  16. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  17. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  18. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  19. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  20. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  21. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  22. He is an ace ________________.
  23. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  24. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — to eat
  2. squash — to crush
  3. rock — a stone
  4. content — the amount
  5. content — videos and posts
  6. rock — to move gently
  7. chip — for betting
  8. band — a music group
  9. band — a ring
  10. band — a rubber band
  11. content — happy
  12. rock — music
  13. squash — the sport
  14. pitcher — a jug
  15. squash — the vegetable
  16. fork — in a road
  17. firm — steady
  18. firm — decided
  19. chip — in a computer
  20. firm — a company
  21. pitcher — a jug
  22. pitcher — in baseball
  23. fork — a garden tool
  24. fork — to eat with

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