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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.

Words on the sheet
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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: mine · scale · pop · jam · row · mug · chip · rush

  1. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  2. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  3. You don't need to ________________ round.
  4. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  5. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  6. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  7. Where did you ________________ them?
  8. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  9. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  10. That must've been a ________________.
  11. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  12. We're almost out of ________________.
  13. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  14. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  15. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  16. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  17. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  18. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  19. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  20. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  21. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  22. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  23. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  24. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mug — a face
  2. chip — to eat
  3. pop — to visit
  4. chip — in a computer
  5. row — to paddle
  6. mug — a cup
  7. mug — to rob
  8. scale — for weighing
  9. pop — music
  10. rush — a thrill
  11. rush — hurry
  12. pop — soda
  13. chip — for betting
  14. mine — an explosive
  15. jam — to spread on bread
  16. mine — for digging
  17. jam — a tight spot
  18. scale — in music
  19. row — a quarrel
  20. row — a line
  21. jam — in traffic
  22. rush — to hurry
  23. mine — belonging to me
  24. scale — size or range

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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