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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: can · perch · chip · field · bass · degree · jam · pit

  1. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  2. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  3. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  4. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  5. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  6. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  7. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  8. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  9. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  10. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  11. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  12. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  13. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  14. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  15. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  16. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  17. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  18. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  19. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  20. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  21. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  22. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  23. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  24. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — for betting
  2. degree — temperature
  3. field — a subject
  4. can — a tin
  5. pit — a fruit stone
  6. jam — a tight spot
  7. pit — in a race
  8. jam — in traffic
  9. field — for sport
  10. chip — in a computer
  11. bass — the fish
  12. bass — the instrument
  13. can — to be able to
  14. can — a tin
  15. bass — low music
  16. jam — to spread on bread
  17. pit — a hole
  18. perch — the fish
  19. perch — for a bird
  20. perch — for a bird
  21. degree — an amount
  22. chip — to eat
  23. degree — from a university
  24. field — farmland

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