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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: chip · scale · jam · wind · pit · kick · plane · bound

  1. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  2. That was ________________ to happen.
  3. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  4. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  5. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  6. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  7. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  8. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  9. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  10. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  11. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  12. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  13. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  14. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  15. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  16. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  17. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  18. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  19. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  20. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  21. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  22. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  23. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  24. The ________________ took off on time.

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

Answer key

  1. wind — moving air
  2. bound — certain
  3. scale — for weighing
  4. pit — a hole
  5. kick — with a leg
  6. chip — in a computer
  7. kick — a thrill
  8. pit — in a race
  9. plane — a tool
  10. chip — to eat
  11. jam — a tight spot
  12. wind — moving air
  13. jam — in traffic
  14. kick — in football
  15. chip — for betting
  16. scale — in music
  17. bound — tied together
  18. pit — a fruit stone
  19. bound — obliged
  20. plane — in geometry
  21. jam — to spread on bread
  22. scale — size or range
  23. wind — to turn a key
  24. plane — an aircraft

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