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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. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  2. David sat on the ________________.
  3. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  4. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  5. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  6. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  7. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  8. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  9. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  10. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  11. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  12. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  13. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  14. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  15. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  16. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  17. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  18. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  19. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  20. The tickets are free of ________________.
  21. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  22. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  23. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  24. ________________ you help me carry this box?

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

Answer key

  1. scale — for weighing
  2. swing — to play on
  3. chip — to eat
  4. wave — a sudden rise
  5. scale — size or range
  6. can — a tin
  7. chip — in a computer
  8. wave — with your hand
  9. file — a line of people
  10. swing — music
  11. can — a tin
  12. race — a contest
  13. race — humankind
  14. race — the arms race
  15. file — a tool
  16. wave — of the sea
  17. file — a document
  18. chip — for betting
  19. swing — in golf
  20. charge — a price
  21. scale — in music
  22. charge — electricity
  23. charge — in control
  24. can — to be able to

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