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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. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  3. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  4. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  5. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  6. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  7. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  8. We're almost out of ________________.
  9. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  10. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  11. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  12. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  13. You don't need to ________________ round.
  14. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  15. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  16. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  17. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  18. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  19. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  20. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  21. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  22. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  23. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  24. We ________________ up on opposing sides.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — in a computer
  2. jam — to spread on bread
  3. foot — the bottom
  4. scale — for weighing
  5. scale — in music
  6. fan — a supporter
  7. pop — music
  8. pop — soda
  9. bass — the fish
  10. bass — low music
  11. fan — a supporter
  12. chip — to eat
  13. pop — to visit
  14. fan — to cool the air
  15. jam — in traffic
  16. jam — a tight spot
  17. scale — size or range
  18. wound — an injury
  19. foot — part of the body
  20. bass — the instrument
  21. chip — for betting
  22. foot — a measure
  23. wound — an injury
  24. wound — past of 'wind'

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