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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: mark · date · content · dip · chip · present · board · squash

  1. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  2. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  3. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  4. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  5. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  6. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  7. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  8. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  9. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  10. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  11. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  12. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  13. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  14. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  15. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  16. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  17. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  18. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  19. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  20. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  21. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  22. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  23. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  24. Have you settled on a ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. board — a flat piece
  2. dip — to sink
  3. chip — to eat
  4. mark — a grade
  5. content — happy
  6. mark — to pay attention
  7. chip — for betting
  8. mark — a trace
  9. squash — to crush
  10. present — a gift
  11. content — the amount
  12. dip — a sauce
  13. content — videos and posts
  14. present — the time now
  15. board — to get on
  16. squash — the sport
  17. present — there
  18. board — a committee
  19. date — on the calendar
  20. date — the fruit
  21. chip — in a computer
  22. squash — the vegetable
  23. dip — to dunk
  24. date — on the calendar

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