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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 116 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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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: fan · present · stick · object · season · pass · chip · content

  1. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  2. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  3. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  4. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  5. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  6. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  7. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  8. Did you ________________ the meat?
  9. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  10. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  11. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  12. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  13. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  14. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  15. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  16. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  17. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  18. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  19. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  20. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  21. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  22. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  23. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  24. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.

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

Answer key

  1. object — an aim
  2. present — there
  3. season — of the year
  4. fan — a supporter
  5. season — in sport
  6. chip — in a computer
  7. object — to protest
  8. season — to add flavour
  9. present — a gift
  10. pass — to spend time
  11. chip — for betting
  12. present — the time now
  13. pass — a permit
  14. chip — to eat
  15. content — happy
  16. fan — to cool the air
  17. stick — to attach or keep to
  18. stick — a piece of wood
  19. content — videos and posts
  20. pass — to succeed
  21. stick — a piece of wood
  22. content — the amount
  23. fan — a supporter
  24. object — a thing

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