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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 120 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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Word bank
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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: mark · squash · chip · content · cell · stick · season · mug

  1. He was locked up in a ________________.
  2. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  3. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  4. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  5. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  6. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  7. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  8. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  9. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  10. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  11. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  12. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  13. Where did you ________________ them?
  14. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  15. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  16. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  17. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  18. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  19. Did you ________________ the meat?
  20. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  21. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  22. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  23. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  24. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.

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

Answer key

  1. cell — in a prison
  2. squash — to crush
  3. content — videos and posts
  4. stick — a piece of wood
  5. squash — the sport
  6. mark — a trace
  7. squash — the vegetable
  8. mug — a cup
  9. stick — to attach or keep to
  10. chip — to eat
  11. mug — a face
  12. content — the amount
  13. mug — to rob
  14. chip — in a computer
  15. mark — to pay attention
  16. cell — in biology
  17. cell — a phone
  18. stick — a piece of wood
  19. season — to add flavour
  20. content — happy
  21. season — of the year
  22. mark — a grade
  23. season — in sport
  24. chip — for betting

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