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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.

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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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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: hand · chip · toast · can · jam · ball · stick · pop

  1. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  2. The King held a masked ________________.
  3. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  4. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  5. We're almost out of ________________.
  6. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  7. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  8. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  9. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  10. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  11. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  12. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  13. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  14. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  15. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  16. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  17. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  18. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  19. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  20. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  21. You don't need to ________________ round.
  22. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  23. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  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. jam — a tight spot
  2. ball — a dance
  3. jam — in traffic
  4. toast — a drink to someone
  5. pop — soda
  6. chip — for betting
  7. toast — bread
  8. can — to be able to
  9. can — a tin
  10. can — a tin
  11. chip — in a computer
  12. ball — a round shape
  13. pop — music
  14. hand — help
  15. stick — to attach or keep to
  16. ball — a great time
  17. hand — in cards
  18. jam — to spread on bread
  19. hand — part of the body
  20. toast — the most admired
  21. pop — to visit
  22. stick — a piece of wood
  23. stick — a piece of wood
  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