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

  1. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  2. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  3. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  4. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  5. False peace will not ________________.
  6. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  7. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  8. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  9. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  10. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  11. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  12. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  13. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  14. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  15. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  16. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  17. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  18. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  19. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  20. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  21. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  22. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  23. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  24. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — for weighing
  2. chip — in a computer
  3. bowl — a football final
  4. can — to be able to
  5. last — to go on
  6. cue — a signal
  7. bowl — a dish
  8. face — to point toward
  9. track — a path
  10. can — a tin
  11. chip — to eat
  12. scale — in music
  13. can — a tin
  14. cue — for pool
  15. face — part of the head
  16. chip — for betting
  17. track — a song
  18. track — to keep track
  19. cue — a hint
  20. scale — size or range
  21. face — to confront
  22. last — final
  23. last — finally
  24. bowl — to roll

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