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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. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  2. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  3. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  4. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  5. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  6. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  7. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  8. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  9. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  10. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  11. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  12. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  13. He was locked up in a ________________.
  14. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  15. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  16. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  17. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  18. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  19. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  20. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  21. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  22. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  23. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  24. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — for betting
  2. cell — a phone
  3. bowl — a football final
  4. content — happy
  5. cell — in biology
  6. lean — thin
  7. track — a path
  8. lean — to rest against
  9. chip — to eat
  10. content — videos and posts
  11. wound — an injury
  12. bank — for money
  13. cell — in a prison
  14. content — the amount
  15. track — to keep track
  16. bank — of a river
  17. lean — to bend
  18. bank — for money
  19. wound — an injury
  20. chip — in a computer
  21. wound — past of 'wind'
  22. track — a song
  23. bowl — a dish
  24. bowl — to roll

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