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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: chip · rule · firm · trunk · content · bowl · scale · net

  1. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  2. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  3. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  4. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  5. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  6. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  7. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  8. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  9. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  10. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  11. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  12. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  13. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  14. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  15. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  16. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  17. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  18. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  19. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  20. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  21. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  22. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  23. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  24. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — size or range
  2. net — in sport
  3. content — happy
  4. rule — government
  5. bowl — a dish
  6. bowl — to roll
  7. firm — a company
  8. content — the amount
  9. firm — steady
  10. trunk — of a car
  11. trunk — of a tree
  12. net — after costs
  13. net — for catching
  14. trunk — of an elephant
  15. content — videos and posts
  16. scale — for weighing
  17. chip — in a computer
  18. chip — for betting
  19. rule — a law
  20. chip — to eat
  21. rule — to rule out
  22. scale — in music
  23. firm — decided
  24. bowl — a football final

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