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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: date · scale · saw · stock · chip · pitcher · tube · fan

  1. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  2. He works in a ________________ mill.
  3. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  4. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  5. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  6. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  7. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  8. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  9. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  10. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  11. He is an ace ________________.
  12. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  13. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  14. Have you settled on a ________________?
  15. The ________________ market has crashed.
  16. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  17. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  18. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  19. I'll be taking the ________________.
  20. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  21. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  22. She's very handy with a ________________.
  23. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  24. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — for weighing
  2. saw — the tool
  3. date — on the calendar
  4. scale — size or range
  5. pitcher — a jug
  6. scale — in music
  7. pitcher — a jug
  8. fan — a supporter
  9. fan — a supporter
  10. chip — for betting
  11. pitcher — in baseball
  12. fan — to cool the air
  13. date — the fruit
  14. date — on the calendar
  15. stock — shares
  16. tube — a container
  17. stock — goods
  18. chip — in a computer
  19. tube — the underground
  20. tube — in a tire
  21. stock — a soup base
  22. saw — the tool
  23. chip — to eat
  24. saw — past of 'see'

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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