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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 116 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: mine · suit · pop · club · chip · bass · craft · game

  1. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  2. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  3. We're almost out of ________________.
  4. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  5. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  6. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  7. That was a fun ________________.
  8. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  9. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  10. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  11. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  12. When will it ________________ you to start?
  13. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  14. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  15. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  16. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  17. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  18. You don't need to ________________ round.
  19. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  20. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  21. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  22. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  23. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  24. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pop — music
  2. chip — for betting
  3. pop — soda
  4. mine — an explosive
  5. chip — in a computer
  6. mine — for digging
  7. game — a match
  8. suit — clothes
  9. bass — low music
  10. craft — a skill
  11. club — a group
  12. suit — to fit
  13. mine — belonging to me
  14. bass — the fish
  15. game — wild animals
  16. suit — in cards
  17. club — for dancing
  18. pop — to visit
  19. game — a kind of play
  20. chip — to eat
  21. bass — the instrument
  22. craft — boats
  23. craft — a handicraft
  24. club — for golf

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