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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. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  2. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  3. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  4. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  5. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  6. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  7. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  8. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  9. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  10. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  11. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  12. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  13. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  14. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  15. False peace will not ________________.
  16. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  17. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  18. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  19. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  20. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  21. I'll be taking the ________________.
  22. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  23. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  24. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?

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

Answer key

  1. chip — in a computer
  2. foot — the bottom
  3. tube — in a tire
  4. last — final
  5. tube — a container
  6. stick — a piece of wood
  7. last — finally
  8. foot — a measure
  9. scale — in music
  10. object — an aim
  11. bass — the instrument
  12. bass — low music
  13. stick — a piece of wood
  14. scale — size or range
  15. last — to go on
  16. stick — to attach or keep to
  17. bass — the fish
  18. chip — to eat
  19. foot — part of the body
  20. chip — for betting
  21. tube — the underground
  22. object — a thing
  23. scale — for weighing
  24. object — to protest

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