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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. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  2. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  3. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  4. Have you met the new head ________________?
  5. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  6. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  7. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  8. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  9. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  10. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  11. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  12. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  13. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  14. We're on a ________________ here.
  15. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  16. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  17. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  18. When will it ________________ you to start?
  19. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  20. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  21. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  22. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  23. There's no middle ________________.
  24. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — size or range
  2. pit — a hole
  3. scale — for weighing
  4. coach — a trainer
  5. pit — in a race
  6. roll — a cake
  7. roll — a list
  8. coach — pulled by horses
  9. suit — in cards
  10. coach — a trainer
  11. ground — crushed
  12. chip — in a computer
  13. pit — a fruit stone
  14. roll — on a roll
  15. ground — the earth
  16. chip — for betting
  17. suit — clothes
  18. suit — to fit
  19. track — to keep track
  20. track — a song
  21. scale — in music
  22. chip — to eat
  23. ground — a position
  24. track — a path

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