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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. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  2. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  3. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  4. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  5. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  6. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  7. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  8. My mare is ________________ in color.
  9. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  10. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  11. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  12. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  13. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  14. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  15. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  16. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  17. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  18. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  19. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  20. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  21. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  22. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  23. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  24. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — in music
  2. chip — to eat
  3. scale — size or range
  4. straw — to clutch at straws
  5. lean — to bend
  6. chip — in a computer
  7. deal — an agreement
  8. bay — a horse colour
  9. chip — for betting
  10. wake — before a funeral
  11. bay — to keep at bay
  12. lean — to rest against
  13. wake — a trail
  14. dip — a sauce
  15. straw — a straw man
  16. dip — to dunk
  17. deal — a big deal
  18. deal — to handle
  19. straw — dry grass
  20. lean — thin
  21. scale — for weighing
  22. dip — to sink
  23. wake — to stop sleeping
  24. bay — a part of the sea

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