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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.

Make a worksheet

Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

Words on the sheet
468
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: content · chip · can · fan · foot · bowl · wake · band

  1. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  2. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  3. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  4. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  5. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  6. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  7. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  8. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  9. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  10. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  11. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  12. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  13. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  14. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  15. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  16. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  17. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  18. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  19. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  20. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  21. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  22. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  23. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  24. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.

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

Answer key

  1. fan — to cool the air
  2. fan — a supporter
  3. wake — a trail
  4. foot — the bottom
  5. wake — to stop sleeping
  6. fan — a supporter
  7. bowl — to roll
  8. can — a tin
  9. chip — to eat
  10. can — a tin
  11. bowl — a dish
  12. content — the amount
  13. content — videos and posts
  14. chip — for betting
  15. band — a rubber band
  16. chip — in a computer
  17. foot — part of the body
  18. foot — a measure
  19. band — a music group
  20. can — to be able to
  21. bowl — a football final
  22. band — a ring
  23. content — happy
  24. wake — before a funeral

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