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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: sharp · jam · game · mug · chair · board · scale · chip

  1. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  2. It's one o'clock ________________.
  3. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  4. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  5. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  6. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  7. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  8. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  9. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  10. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  11. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  12. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  13. Where did you ________________ them?
  14. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  15. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  16. That was a fun ________________.
  17. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  18. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  19. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  20. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  21. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  22. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  23. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  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. scale — for weighing
  2. sharp — exactly
  3. jam — a tight spot
  4. chair — to sit on
  5. chip — in a computer
  6. sharp — with an edge
  7. mug — a face
  8. sharp — clever
  9. mug — a cup
  10. chip — for betting
  11. board — a flat piece
  12. game — wild animals
  13. mug — to rob
  14. chair — a professorship
  15. chair — a leader
  16. game — a match
  17. scale — size or range
  18. board — to get on
  19. jam — to spread on bread
  20. board — a committee
  21. scale — in music
  22. game — a kind of play
  23. jam — in traffic
  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