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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. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  2. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  3. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  4. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  5. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  6. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  7. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  8. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  9. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  10. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  11. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  12. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  13. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  14. The King held a masked ________________.
  15. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  16. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  17. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  18. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  19. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  20. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  21. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  22. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  23. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  24. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.

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

Answer key

  1. kid — child
  2. kid — to tease
  3. chip — in a computer
  4. chip — for betting
  5. scale — size or range
  6. scale — in music
  7. scale — for weighing
  8. can — a tin
  9. toast — bread
  10. ball — a round shape
  11. bank — for money
  12. bowl — to roll
  13. chip — to eat
  14. ball — a dance
  15. toast — a drink to someone
  16. can — to be able to
  17. can — a tin
  18. ball — a great time
  19. bank — of a river
  20. bowl — a dish
  21. toast — the most admired
  22. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  23. bank — for money
  24. bowl — a football final

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