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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: cap · tube · chip · chair · mouse · jam · lean · leaves

  1. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  2. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  3. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  4. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  5. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  6. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  7. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  8. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  9. I'll be taking the ________________.
  10. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  11. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  12. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  13. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  14. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  15. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  16. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  17. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  18. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  19. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  20. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  21. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  22. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  23. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  24. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — to eat
  2. jam — in traffic
  3. jam — a tight spot
  4. mouse — for a computer
  5. tube — a container
  6. lean — to bend
  7. cap — a lid
  8. chip — for betting
  9. tube — the underground
  10. chair — a professorship
  11. chair — a leader
  12. cap — of ice
  13. jam — to spread on bread
  14. cap — a hat
  15. chip — in a computer
  16. leaves — lets stay
  17. leaves — of a tree
  18. mouse — the animal
  19. lean — to rest against
  20. leaves — to go away
  21. lean — thin
  22. mouse — the animal
  23. tube — in a tire
  24. chair — to sit on

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