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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 120 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. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  3. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  4. I can't ________________ this cold.
  5. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  6. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  7. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  8. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  9. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  10. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  11. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  12. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  13. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  14. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  15. You don't need to ________________ round.
  16. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  17. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  18. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  19. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  20. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  21. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  22. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  23. We're almost out of ________________.
  24. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — in a computer
  2. chip — for betting
  3. scale — size or range
  4. stand — to bear
  5. spring — of water
  6. race — the arms race
  7. scale — in music
  8. pop — music
  9. chip — to eat
  10. race — a contest
  11. bowl — to roll
  12. bowl — a dish
  13. spring — the season
  14. spring — a coil
  15. pop — to visit
  16. bass — the fish
  17. bass — the instrument
  18. scale — for weighing
  19. stand — for spectators
  20. stand — on your feet
  21. bowl — a football final
  22. race — humankind
  23. pop — soda
  24. bass — low 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