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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 · bass · calf · chair · chip · current · mine · clip

  1. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  2. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  3. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  4. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  5. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  6. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  7. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  8. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  9. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  10. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  11. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  12. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  13. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  14. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  15. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  16. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  17. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  18. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  19. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  20. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  21. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  22. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  23. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  24. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bass — the fish
  2. scale — size or range
  3. chip — for betting
  4. clip — a video
  5. scale — in music
  6. calf — of the leg
  7. current — of water
  8. bass — low music
  9. current — electric
  10. current — happening now
  11. clip — for paper
  12. mine — an explosive
  13. calf — a young animal
  14. scale — for weighing
  15. mine — for digging
  16. chair — to sit on
  17. clip — to cut
  18. chair — a leader
  19. chip — in a computer
  20. bass — the instrument
  21. calf — a young animal
  22. mine — belonging to me
  23. chip — to eat
  24. chair — a professorship

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