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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.

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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: pop · deal · dip · bound · foot · game · mate · content

  1. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  2. That was a fun ________________.
  3. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  4. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  5. That was ________________ to happen.
  6. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  7. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  8. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  9. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  10. Have you found your soul ________________?
  11. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  12. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  13. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  14. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  15. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  16. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  17. You don't need to ________________ round.
  18. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  19. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  20. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  21. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  22. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  23. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  24. We're almost out of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. game — wild animals
  2. game — a match
  3. deal — an agreement
  4. content — videos and posts
  5. bound — certain
  6. foot — the bottom
  7. pop — music
  8. dip — a sauce
  9. deal — to handle
  10. mate — a partner
  11. deal — a big deal
  12. content — happy
  13. dip — to sink
  14. content — the amount
  15. foot — a measure
  16. bound — obliged
  17. pop — to visit
  18. dip — to dunk
  19. foot — part of the body
  20. mate — to breed
  21. bound — tied together
  22. game — a kind of play
  23. mate — a friend
  24. pop — soda

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