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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. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  2. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  3. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  4. Don't do anything ________________.
  5. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  6. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  7. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  8. He works in a ________________ mill.
  9. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  10. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  11. The ________________ went through the wall.
  12. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  13. She's very handy with a ________________.
  14. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  15. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  16. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  17. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  18. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  19. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  20. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  21. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  22. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  23. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  24. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — in a computer
  2. nail — for a hammer
  3. track — a song
  4. rash — hasty
  5. track — to keep track
  6. track — a path
  7. saw — past of 'see'
  8. saw — the tool
  9. scale — size or range
  10. foot — part of the body
  11. nail — for a hammer
  12. scale — in music
  13. saw — the tool
  14. rock — a stone
  15. nail — on a finger
  16. scale — for weighing
  17. rash — on the skin
  18. foot — the bottom
  19. rock — music
  20. rock — to move gently
  21. chip — for betting
  22. foot — a measure
  23. rash — a series
  24. chip — to eat

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