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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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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: wake · foot · jam · tube · object · last · chip · content

  1. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  2. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  3. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  4. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  5. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  6. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  7. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  8. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  9. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  10. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  11. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  12. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  13. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  14. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  15. I'll be taking the ________________.
  16. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  17. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  18. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  19. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  20. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  21. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  22. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  23. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  24. False peace will not ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. tube — a container
  2. wake — a trail
  3. jam — to spread on bread
  4. object — a thing
  5. foot — the bottom
  6. content — the amount
  7. wake — to stop sleeping
  8. chip — for betting
  9. last — final
  10. object — an aim
  11. content — videos and posts
  12. last — finally
  13. chip — in a computer
  14. chip — to eat
  15. tube — the underground
  16. jam — a tight spot
  17. foot — a measure
  18. wake — before a funeral
  19. object — to protest
  20. tube — in a tire
  21. jam — in traffic
  22. content — happy
  23. foot — part of the body
  24. last — to go on

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