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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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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: spell · prune · row · season · pitch · current · content · chip

  1. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  2. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  3. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  4. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  5. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  6. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  7. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  8. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  9. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  10. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  11. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  12. Did you ________________ the meat?
  13. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  14. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  15. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  16. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  17. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  18. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  19. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  20. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  21. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  22. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  23. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  24. How do you ________________ your surname?

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

Answer key

  1. chip — in a computer
  2. content — videos and posts
  3. row — to paddle
  4. current — electric
  5. row — a quarrel
  6. season — in sport
  7. row — a line
  8. pitch — completely
  9. current — happening now
  10. spell — magic
  11. season — of the year
  12. season — to add flavour
  13. chip — for betting
  14. prune — to trim
  15. spell — a short time
  16. current — of water
  17. chip — to eat
  18. pitch — a sales talk
  19. prune — the fruit
  20. pitch — a sports field
  21. content — happy
  22. content — the amount
  23. prune — to trim
  24. spell — letters

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