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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: content · field · pop · chip · plane · sharp · scale · mark

  1. We're almost out of ________________.
  2. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  3. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  4. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  5. It's one o'clock ________________.
  6. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  7. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  8. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  9. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  10. The ________________ took off on time.
  11. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  12. You don't need to ________________ round.
  13. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  14. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  15. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  16. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  17. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  18. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  19. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  20. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  21. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  22. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  23. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  24. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pop — soda
  2. chip — to eat
  3. mark — a trace
  4. content — videos and posts
  5. sharp — exactly
  6. field — a subject
  7. plane — a tool
  8. sharp — clever
  9. scale — size or range
  10. plane — an aircraft
  11. field — farmland
  12. pop — to visit
  13. content — happy
  14. scale — for weighing
  15. chip — for betting
  16. content — the amount
  17. mark — a grade
  18. plane — in geometry
  19. chip — in a computer
  20. field — for sport
  21. mark — to pay attention
  22. pop — music
  23. sharp — with an edge
  24. scale — in music

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