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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: chip · rash · scale · suit · prune · snap · band · stock

  1. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  2. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  3. Don't do anything ________________.
  4. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  5. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  6. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  7. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  8. The ________________ market has crashed.
  9. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  10. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  11. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  12. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  13. When will it ________________ you to start?
  14. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  15. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  16. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  17. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  18. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  19. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  20. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  21. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  22. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  23. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  24. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — clothes
  2. scale — for weighing
  3. rash — hasty
  4. band — a music group
  5. band — a rubber band
  6. snap — to click
  7. chip — to eat
  8. stock — shares
  9. scale — size or range
  10. snap — to speak sharply
  11. stock — a soup base
  12. prune — the fruit
  13. suit — to fit
  14. rash — on the skin
  15. suit — in cards
  16. prune — to trim
  17. stock — goods
  18. chip — for betting
  19. prune — to trim
  20. rash — a series
  21. band — a ring
  22. scale — in music
  23. chip — in a computer
  24. snap — to snap out of it

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