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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: bowl · dip · leaves · trunk · chip · content · straw · firm

  1. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  2. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  3. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  4. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  5. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  6. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  7. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  8. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  9. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  10. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  11. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  12. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  13. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  14. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  15. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  16. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  17. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  18. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  19. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  20. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  21. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  22. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  23. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  24. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bowl — a football final
  2. leaves — of a tree
  3. straw — dry grass
  4. bowl — to roll
  5. chip — in a computer
  6. straw — a straw man
  7. bowl — a dish
  8. content — the amount
  9. trunk — of an elephant
  10. content — happy
  11. trunk — of a car
  12. chip — to eat
  13. dip — to dunk
  14. firm — a company
  15. chip — for betting
  16. trunk — of a tree
  17. leaves — to go away
  18. firm — decided
  19. leaves — lets stay
  20. firm — steady
  21. straw — to clutch at straws
  22. dip — a sauce
  23. dip — to sink
  24. content — videos and posts

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