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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 116 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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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  2. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  3. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  4. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  5. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  6. That must've been a ________________.
  7. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  8. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  9. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  10. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  11. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  12. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  13. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  14. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  15. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  16. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  17. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  18. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  19. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  20. We're almost out of ________________.
  21. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  22. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  23. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  24. You don't need to ________________ round.

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

Answer key

  1. pound — to hit hard
  2. racket — for tennis
  3. racket — for tennis
  4. chip — for betting
  5. bank — for money
  6. rush — a thrill
  7. lash — a whip stroke
  8. rush — to hurry
  9. pop — music
  10. lash — an eyelash
  11. rush — hurry
  12. cap — a hat
  13. cap — of ice
  14. cap — a lid
  15. lash — to lash out
  16. racket — a loud noise
  17. pound — a weight
  18. chip — in a computer
  19. bank — of a river
  20. pop — soda
  21. chip — to eat
  22. pound — for dogs
  23. bank — for money
  24. pop — to visit

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