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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. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  2. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  3. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  4. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  5. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  6. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  7. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  8. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  9. I'll be taking the ________________.
  10. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  11. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  12. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  13. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  14. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  15. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  16. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  17. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  18. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  19. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  20. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  21. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  22. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  23. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  24. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.

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

Answer key

  1. racket — a loud noise
  2. chip — to eat
  3. bass — the fish
  4. cap — a hat
  5. fork — to eat with
  6. chip — for betting
  7. fine — all right
  8. bass — the instrument
  9. tube — the underground
  10. can — to be able to
  11. can — a tin
  12. tube — a container
  13. can — a tin
  14. fine — a penalty
  15. chip — in a computer
  16. cap — a lid
  17. fine — high quality
  18. racket — for tennis
  19. bass — low music
  20. tube — in a tire
  21. cap — of ice
  22. fork — a garden tool
  23. racket — for tennis
  24. fork — in a road

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