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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: mouse · pit · chip · kick · scale · coach · rock · roll

  1. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  2. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  3. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  4. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  5. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  6. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  7. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  8. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  9. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  10. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  11. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  12. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  13. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  14. Have you met the new head ________________?
  15. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  16. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  17. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  18. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  19. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  20. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  21. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  22. We're on a ________________ here.
  23. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  24. Should I buy a wireless ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. scale — in music
  2. coach — pulled by horses
  3. coach — a trainer
  4. chip — to eat
  5. mouse — the animal
  6. chip — for betting
  7. scale — size or range
  8. kick — in football
  9. kick — a thrill
  10. kick — with a leg
  11. roll — a cake
  12. pit — in a race
  13. rock — to move gently
  14. coach — a trainer
  15. rock — a stone
  16. scale — for weighing
  17. chip — in a computer
  18. pit — a fruit stone
  19. pit — a hole
  20. rock — music
  21. roll — a list
  22. roll — on a roll
  23. mouse — the animal
  24. mouse — for a computer

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