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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. We're almost out of ________________.
  2. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  3. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  4. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  5. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  6. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  7. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  8. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  9. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  10. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  11. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  12. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  13. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  14. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  15. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  16. You don't need to ________________ round.
  17. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  18. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  19. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  20. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  21. Did you ________________ the button?
  22. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  23. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  24. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pop — soda
  2. jam — a tight spot
  3. scale — in music
  4. deal — an agreement
  5. bank — for money
  6. deal — to handle
  7. press — a publisher
  8. wake — to stop sleeping
  9. scale — for weighing
  10. wake — before a funeral
  11. deal — a big deal
  12. press — newspapers
  13. chip — to eat
  14. wake — a trail
  15. bank — of a river
  16. pop — to visit
  17. scale — size or range
  18. bank — for money
  19. chip — for betting
  20. pop — music
  21. press — to push
  22. jam — to spread on bread
  23. chip — in a computer
  24. jam — in traffic

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