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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. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  3. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  4. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  5. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  6. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  7. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  8. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  9. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  10. I can't ________________ this cold.
  11. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  12. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  13. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  14. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  15. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  16. You don't need to ________________ round.
  17. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  18. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  19. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  20. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  21. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  22. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  23. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  24. We're almost out of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pound — to hit hard
  2. chip — for betting
  3. chip — to eat
  4. club — for dancing
  5. chip — in a computer
  6. trunk — of a tree
  7. club — for golf
  8. rock — to move gently
  9. hide — to keep secret
  10. stand — to bear
  11. rock — a stone
  12. hide — to keep secret
  13. rock — music
  14. stand — on your feet
  15. pound — a weight
  16. pop — to visit
  17. club — a group
  18. stand — for spectators
  19. pound — for dogs
  20. pop — music
  21. hide — animal skin
  22. trunk — of an elephant
  23. trunk — of a car
  24. pop — soda

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