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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 120 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. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  2. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  3. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  4. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  5. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  6. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  7. We're almost out of ________________.
  8. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  9. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  10. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  11. You don't need to ________________ round.
  12. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  13. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  14. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  15. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  16. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  17. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  18. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  19. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  20. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  21. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  22. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  23. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  24. Is it ________________ for us to be here?

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

Answer key

  1. drill — a practice
  2. chip — for betting
  3. chip — in a computer
  4. pound — a weight
  5. fine — a penalty
  6. prune — to trim
  7. pop — soda
  8. prune — the fruit
  9. safe — a strongbox
  10. drill — army training
  11. pop — to visit
  12. spring — the season
  13. spring — of water
  14. pound — to hit hard
  15. safe — out of danger
  16. pound — for dogs
  17. chip — to eat
  18. drill — the tool
  19. pop — music
  20. prune — to trim
  21. fine — all right
  22. fine — high quality
  23. spring — a coil
  24. safe — out of danger

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