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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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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: foot · dip · board · bowl · chest · prune · content · chip

  1. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  2. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  3. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  4. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  5. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  6. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  7. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  8. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  9. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  10. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  11. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  12. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  13. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  14. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  15. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  16. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  17. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  18. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  19. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  20. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  21. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  22. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  23. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  24. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — for betting
  2. content — the amount
  3. chip — to eat
  4. chest — a box
  5. bowl — a dish
  6. foot — part of the body
  7. dip — a sauce
  8. prune — the fruit
  9. board — a committee
  10. content — happy
  11. bowl — a football final
  12. content — videos and posts
  13. prune — to trim
  14. dip — to sink
  15. bowl — to roll
  16. board — to get on
  17. chest — of your body
  18. chest — of your body
  19. prune — to trim
  20. foot — the bottom
  21. board — a flat piece
  22. chip — in a computer
  23. dip — to dunk
  24. foot — a measure

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