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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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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: dip · pass · bowl · face · chip · toast · content · band

  1. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  2. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  3. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  4. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  5. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  6. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  7. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  8. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  9. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  10. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  11. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  12. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  13. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  14. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  15. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  16. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  17. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  18. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  19. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  20. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  21. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  22. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  23. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  24. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — to eat
  2. pass — to spend time
  3. pass — a permit
  4. bowl — a dish
  5. chip — in a computer
  6. pass — to succeed
  7. content — videos and posts
  8. toast — bread
  9. chip — for betting
  10. dip — to dunk
  11. content — the amount
  12. band — a ring
  13. dip — to sink
  14. bowl — to roll
  15. face — to confront
  16. content — happy
  17. face — part of the head
  18. face — to point toward
  19. toast — a drink to someone
  20. toast — the most admired
  21. bowl — a football final
  22. dip — a sauce
  23. band — a rubber band
  24. band — a music group

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