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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. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  3. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  4. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  5. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  6. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  7. The ________________ took off on time.
  8. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  9. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  10. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  11. You don't need to ________________ round.
  12. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  13. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  14. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  15. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  16. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  17. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  18. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  19. We're almost out of ________________.
  20. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  21. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  22. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  23. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  24. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — for betting
  2. chip — to eat
  3. scale — for weighing
  4. pitch — completely
  5. present — the time now
  6. net — in sport
  7. plane — an aircraft
  8. scale — in music
  9. racket — a loud noise
  10. net — after costs
  11. pop — to visit
  12. pitch — a sports field
  13. plane — a tool
  14. pop — music
  15. present — there
  16. present — a gift
  17. racket — for tennis
  18. net — for catching
  19. pop — soda
  20. chip — in a computer
  21. plane — in geometry
  22. pitch — a sales talk
  23. racket — for tennis
  24. scale — size or range

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