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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: scale · kid · stem · firm · chip · fan · game · mouse

  1. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  2. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  3. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  4. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  5. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  6. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  7. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  8. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  9. That was a fun ________________.
  10. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  11. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  12. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  13. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  14. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  15. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  16. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  17. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  18. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  19. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  20. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  21. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  22. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  23. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  24. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — for weighing
  2. scale — in music
  3. chip — in a computer
  4. game — wild animals
  5. chip — to eat
  6. firm — decided
  7. fan — to cool the air
  8. scale — size or range
  9. game — a match
  10. mouse — for a computer
  11. kid — to tease
  12. firm — a company
  13. stem — to come from
  14. mouse — the animal
  15. game — a kind of play
  16. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  17. fan — a supporter
  18. firm — steady
  19. mouse — the animal
  20. stem — of a plant
  21. stem — a stem cell
  22. chip — for betting
  23. fan — a supporter
  24. kid — child

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