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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.

Make a worksheet

Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: pit · content · chip · staff · scale · trunk · bass · leaves

  1. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  2. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  3. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  4. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  5. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  6. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  7. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  8. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  9. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  10. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  11. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  12. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  13. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  14. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  15. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  16. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  17. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  18. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  19. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  20. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  21. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  22. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  23. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  24. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — lets stay
  2. chip — to eat
  3. staff — employees
  4. content — the amount
  5. pit — a fruit stone
  6. bass — low music
  7. trunk — of an elephant
  8. leaves — to go away
  9. bass — the instrument
  10. scale — size or range
  11. bass — the fish
  12. leaves — of a tree
  13. content — happy
  14. staff — a stick
  15. staff — employees
  16. pit — a hole
  17. content — videos and posts
  18. scale — in music
  19. pit — in a race
  20. scale — for weighing
  21. trunk — of a car
  22. chip — in a computer
  23. chip — for betting
  24. trunk — of a tree

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