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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: dip · scale · suit · pop · race · chip · lie · jam

  1. We're almost out of ________________.
  2. You don't need to ________________ round.
  3. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  4. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  5. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  6. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  7. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  8. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  9. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  10. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  11. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  12. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  13. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  14. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  15. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  16. When will it ________________ you to start?
  17. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  18. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  19. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  20. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  21. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  22. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  23. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  24. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.

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

Answer key

  1. pop — soda
  2. pop — to visit
  3. lie — to recline
  4. chip — to eat
  5. race — a contest
  6. race — the arms race
  7. jam — to spread on bread
  8. jam — in traffic
  9. scale — for weighing
  10. dip — to dunk
  11. scale — size or range
  12. pop — music
  13. dip — a sauce
  14. suit — clothes
  15. scale — in music
  16. suit — to fit
  17. chip — in a computer
  18. race — humankind
  19. lie — an untruth
  20. dip — to sink
  21. lie — an untruth
  22. suit — in cards
  23. jam — a tight spot
  24. chip — for betting

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