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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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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: shower · content · pit · mouse · lean · ruler · wave · chip

  1. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  2. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  3. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  4. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  5. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  6. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  7. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  8. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  9. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  10. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  11. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  12. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  13. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  14. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  15. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  16. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  17. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  18. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  19. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  20. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  21. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  22. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  23. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  24. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — for betting
  2. pit — a hole
  3. wave — with your hand
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. mouse — the animal
  6. lean — to bend
  7. chip — in a computer
  8. pit — in a race
  9. lean — thin
  10. ruler — a monarch
  11. lean — to rest against
  12. content — the amount
  13. shower — a meteor shower
  14. content — videos and posts
  15. mouse — the animal
  16. pit — a fruit stone
  17. shower — to wash
  18. ruler — for measuring
  19. wave — a sudden rise
  20. shower — rain
  21. chip — to eat
  22. wave — of the sea
  23. mouse — for a computer
  24. content — happy

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