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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.

Words on the sheet
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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: tear · fan · suit · shower · content · can · pitch · chip

  1. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  2. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  3. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  4. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  5. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  6. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  7. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  8. When will it ________________ you to start?
  9. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  10. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  11. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  12. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  13. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  14. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  15. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  16. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  17. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  18. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  19. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  20. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  21. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  22. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  23. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  24. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — for betting
  2. can — to be able to
  3. pitch — a sports field
  4. shower — to wash
  5. tear — to rip
  6. can — a tin
  7. chip — to eat
  8. suit — to fit
  9. tear — from crying
  10. suit — in cards
  11. pitch — completely
  12. fan — a supporter
  13. content — videos and posts
  14. content — the amount
  15. shower — rain
  16. suit — clothes
  17. pitch — a sales talk
  18. fan — a supporter
  19. tear — from crying
  20. fan — to cool the air
  21. shower — a meteor shower
  22. chip — in a computer
  23. can — a tin
  24. content — happy

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