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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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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: jam · file · cabinet · wave · suit · chip · toast · pound

  1. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  2. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  3. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  4. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  5. What do you think of the new ________________?
  6. When will it ________________ you to start?
  7. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  8. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  9. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  10. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  11. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  12. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  13. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  14. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  15. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  16. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  17. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  18. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  19. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  20. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  21. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  22. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  23. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  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. chip — in a computer
  2. toast — the most admired
  3. chip — to eat
  4. pound — for dogs
  5. cabinet — ministers
  6. suit — to fit
  7. suit — in cards
  8. pound — to hit hard
  9. jam — to spread on bread
  10. pound — a weight
  11. wave — of the sea
  12. suit — clothes
  13. wave — a sudden rise
  14. file — a line of people
  15. wave — with your hand
  16. toast — a drink to someone
  17. jam — a tight spot
  18. file — a tool
  19. cabinet — ministers
  20. cabinet — a cupboard
  21. toast — bread
  22. jam — in traffic
  23. file — a document
  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