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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. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  2. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  3. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  4. You don't need to ________________ round.
  5. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  6. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  7. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  8. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  9. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  10. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  11. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  12. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  13. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  14. My mare is ________________ in color.
  15. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  16. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  17. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  18. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  19. The ________________ market has crashed.
  20. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  21. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  22. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  23. We're almost out of ________________.
  24. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.

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

Answer key

  1. pop — music
  2. chip — in a computer
  3. bank — for money
  4. pop — to visit
  5. trunk — of a tree
  6. scale — size or range
  7. scale — in music
  8. dip — to dunk
  9. bank — for money
  10. chip — for betting
  11. bay — a part of the sea
  12. scale — for weighing
  13. stock — goods
  14. bay — a horse colour
  15. chip — to eat
  16. trunk — of a car
  17. trunk — of an elephant
  18. bay — to keep at bay
  19. stock — shares
  20. dip — to sink
  21. bank — of a river
  22. stock — a soup base
  23. pop — soda
  24. dip — a sauce

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