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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. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  2. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  3. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  4. You don't need to ________________ round.
  5. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  6. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  7. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  8. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  9. Have you met the new head ________________?
  10. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  11. My mare is ________________ in color.
  12. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  13. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  14. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  15. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  16. The ________________ went through the wall.
  17. We're almost out of ________________.
  18. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  19. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  20. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  21. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  22. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  23. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  24. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — to eat
  2. foot — a measure
  3. bay — a part of the sea
  4. pop — to visit
  5. foot — part of the body
  6. coach — pulled by horses
  7. chip — in a computer
  8. safe — out of danger
  9. coach — a trainer
  10. safe — out of danger
  11. bay — a horse colour
  12. coach — a trainer
  13. foot — the bottom
  14. scale — in music
  15. chip — for betting
  16. nail — for a hammer
  17. pop — soda
  18. scale — size or range
  19. nail — for a hammer
  20. bay — to keep at bay
  21. safe — a strongbox
  22. pop — music
  23. scale — for weighing
  24. nail — on a finger

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