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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: chip · season · suit · content · present · trunk · mug · date

  1. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  2. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  3. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  4. Where did you ________________ them?
  5. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  6. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  7. When will it ________________ you to start?
  8. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  9. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  10. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  11. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  12. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  13. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  14. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  15. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  16. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  17. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  18. Have you settled on a ________________?
  19. Did you ________________ the meat?
  20. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  21. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  22. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  23. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  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. mug — a face
  2. date — the fruit
  3. content — videos and posts
  4. mug — to rob
  5. season — in sport
  6. season — of the year
  7. suit — to fit
  8. present — a gift
  9. present — there
  10. suit — clothes
  11. trunk — of a tree
  12. chip — for betting
  13. present — the time now
  14. content — the amount
  15. mug — a cup
  16. suit — in cards
  17. trunk — of a car
  18. date — on the calendar
  19. season — to add flavour
  20. content — happy
  21. date — on the calendar
  22. trunk — of an elephant
  23. chip — in a computer
  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