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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. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  3. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  4. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  5. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  6. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  7. You don't need to ________________ round.
  8. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  9. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  10. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  11. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  12. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  13. David sat on the ________________.
  14. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  15. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  16. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  17. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  18. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  19. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  20. We're almost out of ________________.
  21. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  22. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  23. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  24. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — in a computer
  2. scale — in music
  3. hand — in cards
  4. can — to be able to
  5. swing — music
  6. hand — help
  7. pop — to visit
  8. scale — for weighing
  9. stem — a stem cell
  10. chip — for betting
  11. wind — moving air
  12. swing — in golf
  13. swing — to play on
  14. wind — to turn a key
  15. can — a tin
  16. chip — to eat
  17. stem — to come from
  18. can — a tin
  19. scale — size or range
  20. pop — soda
  21. stem — of a plant
  22. wind — moving air
  23. hand — part of the body
  24. pop — music

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