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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. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  2. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  3. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  4. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  5. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  6. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  7. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  8. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  9. My mare is ________________ in color.
  10. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  11. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  12. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  13. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  14. This piece is in a major ________________.
  15. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  16. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  17. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  18. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  19. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  20. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  21. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  22. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  23. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  24. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. content — the amount
  2. fine — high quality
  3. chip — in a computer
  4. bat — in an idiom
  5. rock — a stone
  6. fall — to drop
  7. bay — a part of the sea
  8. rock — to move gently
  9. bay — a horse colour
  10. fine — a penalty
  11. key — for a lock
  12. bat — the animal
  13. bat — for baseball
  14. key — in music
  15. chip — to eat
  16. rock — music
  17. fall — to drop
  18. content — videos and posts
  19. chip — for betting
  20. fine — all right
  21. key — the most important part
  22. fall — the season
  23. content — happy
  24. bay — to keep at bay

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