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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
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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: ground · date · cell · roll · chip · mark · swing · pop

  1. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  2. There's no middle ________________.
  3. You don't need to ________________ round.
  4. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  5. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  6. Have you settled on a ________________?
  7. He was locked up in a ________________.
  8. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  9. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  10. We're almost out of ________________.
  11. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  12. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  13. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  14. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  15. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  16. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  17. David sat on the ________________.
  18. We're on a ________________ here.
  19. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  20. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  21. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  22. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  23. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  24. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.

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

Answer key

  1. swing — music
  2. ground — a position
  3. pop — to visit
  4. ground — the earth
  5. cell — in biology
  6. date — on the calendar
  7. cell — in a prison
  8. mark — to pay attention
  9. mark — a trace
  10. pop — soda
  11. mark — a grade
  12. ground — crushed
  13. roll — a cake
  14. chip — in a computer
  15. chip — for betting
  16. chip — to eat
  17. swing — to play on
  18. roll — on a roll
  19. cell — a phone
  20. date — on the calendar
  21. swing — in golf
  22. date — the fruit
  23. roll — a list
  24. pop — 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