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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: mark · scale · can · row · chip · ground · jam · face

  1. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  2. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  3. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  4. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  5. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  6. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  7. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  8. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  9. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  10. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  11. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  12. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  13. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  14. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  15. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  16. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  17. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  18. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  19. There's no middle ________________.
  20. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  21. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  22. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  23. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  24. She had a strange look on her ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. can — a tin
  2. chip — in a computer
  3. row — to paddle
  4. jam — to spread on bread
  5. jam — a tight spot
  6. row — a line
  7. can — to be able to
  8. can — a tin
  9. scale — for weighing
  10. mark — a grade
  11. chip — for betting
  12. row — a quarrel
  13. scale — size or range
  14. face — to point toward
  15. mark — a trace
  16. mark — to pay attention
  17. ground — crushed
  18. ground — the earth
  19. ground — a position
  20. face — to confront
  21. chip — to eat
  22. scale — in music
  23. jam — in traffic
  24. face — part of the head

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