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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. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  2. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  3. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  4. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  5. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  6. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  7. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  8. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  9. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  10. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  11. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  12. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  13. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  14. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  15. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  16. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  17. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  18. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  19. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  20. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  21. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  22. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  23. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  24. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.

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

Answer key

  1. can — a tin
  2. can — to be able to
  3. can — a tin
  4. prune — to trim
  5. chip — for betting
  6. prune — the fruit
  7. bank — for money
  8. bank — for money
  9. stick — to attach or keep to
  10. foot — the bottom
  11. content — happy
  12. prune — to trim
  13. stick — a piece of wood
  14. stick — a piece of wood
  15. foot — a measure
  16. content — the amount
  17. bank — of a river
  18. content — videos and posts
  19. chip — in a computer
  20. chip — to eat
  21. mouse — for a computer
  22. foot — part of the body
  23. mouse — the animal
  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