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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: current · suit · rock · game · arm · pop · scale · chip

  1. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  2. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  3. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  4. You don't need to ________________ round.
  5. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  6. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  7. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  8. We're almost out of ________________.
  9. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  10. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  11. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  12. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  13. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  14. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  15. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  16. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  17. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  18. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  19. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  20. When will it ________________ you to start?
  21. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  22. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  23. My father caught me by the ________________.
  24. That was a fun ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — clothes
  2. rock — a stone
  3. suit — in cards
  4. pop — to visit
  5. rock — music
  6. current — electric
  7. current — of water
  8. pop — soda
  9. chip — in a computer
  10. scale — size or range
  11. current — happening now
  12. arm — part of the body
  13. game — a kind of play
  14. chip — to eat
  15. pop — music
  16. game — wild animals
  17. scale — in music
  18. chip — for betting
  19. rock — to move gently
  20. suit — to fit
  21. arm — a part of something
  22. scale — for weighing
  23. arm — part of the body
  24. game — a match

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