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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: prune · content · chip · pitch · fan · object · jam · lie

  1. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  2. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  3. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  4. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  5. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  6. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  7. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  8. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  9. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  10. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  11. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  12. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  13. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  14. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  15. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  16. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  17. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  18. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  19. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  20. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  21. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  22. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  23. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  24. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.

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

Answer key

  1. object — to protest
  2. fan — a supporter
  3. lie — to recline
  4. lie — an untruth
  5. prune — the fruit
  6. jam — a tight spot
  7. pitch — a sales talk
  8. chip — for betting
  9. prune — to trim
  10. prune — to trim
  11. fan — to cool the air
  12. chip — in a computer
  13. content — videos and posts
  14. content — happy
  15. content — the amount
  16. jam — in traffic
  17. pitch — a sports field
  18. fan — a supporter
  19. lie — an untruth
  20. object — a thing
  21. jam — to spread on bread
  22. pitch — completely
  23. object — an aim
  24. chip — to eat

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