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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. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  2. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  3. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  4. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  5. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  6. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  7. You don't need to ________________ round.
  8. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  9. That was ________________ to happen.
  10. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  11. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  12. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  13. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  14. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  15. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  16. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  17. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  18. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  19. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  20. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  21. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  22. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  23. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  24. We're almost out of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — for betting
  2. pop — music
  3. track — a song
  4. chip — in a computer
  5. toast — bread
  6. toast — a drink to someone
  7. pop — to visit
  8. track — to keep track
  9. bound — certain
  10. bank — for money
  11. scale — size or range
  12. toast — the most admired
  13. perch — the fish
  14. perch — for a bird
  15. scale — in music
  16. bound — tied together
  17. track — a path
  18. bound — obliged
  19. chip — to eat
  20. scale — for weighing
  21. bank — of a river
  22. perch — for a bird
  23. bank — for money
  24. pop — soda

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