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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: object · bowl · chip · foot · content · present · pass · toast

  1. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  2. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  3. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  4. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  5. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  6. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  7. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  8. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  9. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  10. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  11. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  12. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  13. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  14. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  15. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  16. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  17. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  18. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  19. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  20. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  21. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  22. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  23. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  24. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.

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

Answer key

  1. toast — a drink to someone
  2. bowl — a football final
  3. chip — in a computer
  4. object — a thing
  5. chip — to eat
  6. content — happy
  7. bowl — to roll
  8. foot — part of the body
  9. pass — a permit
  10. object — an aim
  11. chip — for betting
  12. bowl — a dish
  13. toast — the most admired
  14. pass — to spend time
  15. content — videos and posts
  16. present — the time now
  17. present — a gift
  18. toast — bread
  19. present — there
  20. foot — the bottom
  21. object — to protest
  22. foot — a measure
  23. content — the amount
  24. pass — to succeed

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