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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 120 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 in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  2. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  3. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  4. We're almost out of ________________.
  5. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  6. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  7. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  8. You don't need to ________________ round.
  9. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  10. The King held a masked ________________.
  11. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  12. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  13. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  14. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  15. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  16. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  17. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  18. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.

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

Answer key

  1. pop — music
  2. squash — the vegetable
  3. chip — for betting
  4. pop — soda
  5. pitch — a sales talk
  6. pitch — completely
  7. object — a thing
  8. pop — to visit
  9. chip — in a computer
  10. ball — a dance
  11. object — an aim
  12. squash — to crush
  13. ball — a round shape
  14. object — to protest
  15. chip — to eat
  16. pitch — a sports field
  17. squash — the sport
  18. ball — a great time

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