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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.

Make a worksheet

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: saw · content · mine · fall · ground · object · chip · firm

  1. She's very handy with a ________________.
  2. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  3. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  4. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  5. He works in a ________________ mill.
  6. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  7. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  8. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  9. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  10. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  11. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  12. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  13. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  14. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  15. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  16. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  17. There's no middle ________________.
  18. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  19. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  20. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  21. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  22. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  23. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  24. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.

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

Answer key

  1. saw — the tool
  2. object — an aim
  3. chip — to eat
  4. fall — to drop
  5. saw — the tool
  6. ground — the earth
  7. content — the amount
  8. mine — belonging to me
  9. fall — to drop
  10. object — a thing
  11. fall — the season
  12. content — happy
  13. ground — crushed
  14. firm — a company
  15. firm — steady
  16. firm — decided
  17. ground — a position
  18. chip — in a computer
  19. object — to protest
  20. mine — an explosive
  21. content — videos and posts
  22. chip — for betting
  23. mine — for digging
  24. saw — past of 'see'

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