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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 116 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. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  2. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  3. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  4. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  5. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  6. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  7. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  8. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  9. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  10. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  11. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  12. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  13. That was a fun ________________.
  14. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  15. David sat on the ________________.
  16. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  17. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  18. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  19. You don't need to ________________ round.
  20. We're almost out of ________________.
  21. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  22. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  23. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  24. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — for betting
  2. game — wild animals
  3. dip — to sink
  4. pop — music
  5. chip — in a computer
  6. scale — size or range
  7. branch — a division
  8. scale — for weighing
  9. swing — in golf
  10. game — a kind of play
  11. swing — music
  12. object — an aim
  13. game — a match
  14. branch — of a bank
  15. swing — to play on
  16. dip — a sauce
  17. object — to protest
  18. branch — of a tree
  19. pop — to visit
  20. pop — soda
  21. scale — in music
  22. dip — to dunk
  23. object — a thing
  24. chip — to eat

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