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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 from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: rule · stick · squash · deal · safe · content · chip · pound

  1. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  2. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  3. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  4. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  5. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  6. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  7. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  8. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  9. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  10. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  11. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  12. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  13. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  14. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  15. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  16. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  17. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  18. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  19. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  20. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  21. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  22. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  23. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  24. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.

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

Answer key

  1. squash — the sport
  2. content — happy
  3. chip — for betting
  4. squash — the vegetable
  5. pound — for dogs
  6. chip — in a computer
  7. content — videos and posts
  8. rule — government
  9. stick — to attach or keep to
  10. safe — out of danger
  11. deal — a big deal
  12. chip — to eat
  13. stick — a piece of wood
  14. squash — to crush
  15. content — the amount
  16. deal — to handle
  17. pound — a weight
  18. rule — to rule out
  19. stick — a piece of wood
  20. deal — an agreement
  21. rule — a law
  22. safe — a strongbox
  23. safe — out of danger
  24. pound — to hit hard

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