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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 120 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: track · mine · stick · scale · rock · chip · mate · deal

  1. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  2. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  3. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  4. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  5. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  6. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  7. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  8. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  9. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  10. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  11. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  12. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  13. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  14. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  15. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  16. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  17. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  18. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  19. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  20. Have you found your soul ________________?
  21. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  22. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  23. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  24. There's a computer ________________ on the table.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — size or range
  2. stick — to attach or keep to
  3. stick — a piece of wood
  4. rock — music
  5. mine — for digging
  6. rock — a stone
  7. track — a song
  8. deal — a big deal
  9. mine — an explosive
  10. scale — in music
  11. chip — to eat
  12. scale — for weighing
  13. track — a path
  14. mate — to breed
  15. deal — an agreement
  16. rock — to move gently
  17. deal — to handle
  18. mate — a friend
  19. track — to keep track
  20. mate — a partner
  21. chip — for betting
  22. stick — a piece of wood
  23. mine — belonging to me
  24. chip — in a computer

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