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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 116 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. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  2. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  3. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  4. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  5. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  6. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  7. When will it ________________ you to start?
  8. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  9. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  10. We're almost out of ________________.
  11. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  12. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  13. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  14. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  15. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  16. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  17. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  18. You don't need to ________________ round.
  19. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  20. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  21. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  22. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  23. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  24. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.

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

Answer key

  1. content — happy
  2. rule — government
  3. object — a thing
  4. dip — to sink
  5. chip — in a computer
  6. can — to be able to
  7. suit — to fit
  8. chip — for betting
  9. dip — a sauce
  10. pop — soda
  11. can — a tin
  12. chip — to eat
  13. object — an aim
  14. content — the amount
  15. can — a tin
  16. rule — to rule out
  17. object — to protest
  18. pop — to visit
  19. pop — music
  20. suit — in cards
  21. rule — a law
  22. suit — clothes
  23. content — videos and posts
  24. dip — to dunk

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