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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: object · pop · last · jam · chip · lean · wave · scale

  1. False peace will not ________________.
  2. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  3. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  4. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  5. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  6. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  7. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  8. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  9. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  10. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  11. You don't need to ________________ round.
  12. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  13. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  14. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  15. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  16. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  17. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  18. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  19. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  20. We're almost out of ________________.
  21. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  22. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  23. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  24. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. last — to go on
  2. jam — to spread on bread
  3. last — finally
  4. jam — in traffic
  5. chip — to eat
  6. scale — size or range
  7. lean — to rest against
  8. chip — for betting
  9. lean — to bend
  10. jam — a tight spot
  11. pop — to visit
  12. lean — thin
  13. wave — of the sea
  14. last — final
  15. scale — in music
  16. chip — in a computer
  17. scale — for weighing
  18. object — a thing
  19. pop — music
  20. pop — soda
  21. object — to protest
  22. wave — a sudden rise
  23. wave — with your hand
  24. object — an aim

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