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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: jam · chip · roll · scale · bowl · wave · face · dip

  1. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  2. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  3. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  4. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  5. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  6. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  7. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  8. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  9. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  10. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  11. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  12. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  13. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  14. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  15. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  16. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  17. We're on a ________________ here.
  18. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  19. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  20. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  21. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  22. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  23. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  24. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. face — to point toward
  2. dip — to sink
  3. dip — to dunk
  4. roll — a cake
  5. wave — a sudden rise
  6. jam — in traffic
  7. wave — with your hand
  8. chip — in a computer
  9. jam — to spread on bread
  10. scale — for weighing
  11. dip — a sauce
  12. bowl — a football final
  13. jam — a tight spot
  14. face — to confront
  15. face — part of the head
  16. chip — for betting
  17. roll — on a roll
  18. roll — a list
  19. bowl — a dish
  20. scale — size or range
  21. scale — in music
  22. bowl — to roll
  23. chip — to eat
  24. wave — of the sea

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