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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.

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: chip · content · game · fall · foot · staff · squash · rock

  1. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  2. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  3. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  4. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  5. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  6. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  7. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  8. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  9. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  10. That was a fun ________________.
  11. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  12. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  13. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  14. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  15. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  16. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  17. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  18. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  19. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  20. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  21. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  22. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  23. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  24. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.

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

Answer key

  1. game — wild animals
  2. fall — to drop
  3. chip — to eat
  4. foot — part of the body
  5. rock — music
  6. chip — for betting
  7. rock — to move gently
  8. squash — the sport
  9. content — videos and posts
  10. game — a match
  11. fall — to drop
  12. content — happy
  13. content — the amount
  14. staff — a stick
  15. staff — employees
  16. foot — a measure
  17. fall — the season
  18. squash — the vegetable
  19. foot — the bottom
  20. rock — a stone
  21. chip — in a computer
  22. squash — to crush
  23. staff — employees
  24. game — a kind of play

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