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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. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  3. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  4. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  5. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  6. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  7. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  8. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  9. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  10. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  11. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  12. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  13. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  14. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  15. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  16. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  17. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  18. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  19. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  20. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  21. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  22. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  23. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  24. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — for weighing
  2. fine — all right
  3. fine — high quality
  4. pound — to hit hard
  5. fine — a penalty
  6. pound — for dogs
  7. chip — for betting
  8. chip — to eat
  9. bank — for money
  10. stem — to come from
  11. rest — what's left
  12. pound — a weight
  13. scale — size or range
  14. bank — for money
  15. firm — a company
  16. firm — steady
  17. chip — in a computer
  18. rest — what's left
  19. bank — of a river
  20. firm — decided
  21. rest — a break
  22. stem — of a plant
  23. scale — in music
  24. stem — a stem cell

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