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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. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  2. The ________________ went through the wall.
  3. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  4. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  5. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  6. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  7. The tickets are free of ________________.
  8. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  9. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  10. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  11. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  12. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  13. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  14. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  15. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  16. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  17. We're almost out of ________________.
  18. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  19. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  20. You don't need to ________________ round.
  21. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  22. That was a fun ________________.
  23. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  24. There's a computer ________________ on the table.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — size or range
  2. nail — for a hammer
  3. chip — for betting
  4. pop — music
  5. scale — for weighing
  6. root — of a plant
  7. charge — a price
  8. charge — electricity
  9. root — the cause
  10. snap — to speak sharply
  11. game — a kind of play
  12. game — wild animals
  13. root — of a word
  14. charge — in control
  15. nail — for a hammer
  16. scale — in music
  17. pop — soda
  18. snap — to click
  19. nail — on a finger
  20. pop — to visit
  21. snap — to snap out of it
  22. game — a match
  23. chip — to eat
  24. chip — in a computer

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