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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.

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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: fall · mug · scale · jam · chip · bulb · key · trunk

  1. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  2. Where did you ________________ them?
  3. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  4. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  5. I've got to change the light ________________.
  6. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  7. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  8. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  9. This piece is in a major ________________.
  10. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  11. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  12. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  13. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  14. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  15. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  16. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  17. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  18. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  19. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  20. The light ________________ burned out.
  21. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  22. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  23. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  24. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.

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

Answer key

  1. mug — a cup
  2. mug — to rob
  3. mug — a face
  4. trunk — of a car
  5. bulb — for light
  6. scale — for weighing
  7. trunk — of a tree
  8. jam — a tight spot
  9. key — in music
  10. chip — for betting
  11. chip — to eat
  12. scale — in music
  13. fall — to drop
  14. chip — in a computer
  15. jam — in traffic
  16. key — for a lock
  17. scale — size or range
  18. trunk — of an elephant
  19. fall — to drop
  20. bulb — for light
  21. bulb — of a plant
  22. key — the most important part
  23. jam — to spread on bread
  24. fall — the season

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