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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. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  2. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  3. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  4. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  5. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  6. The tickets are free of ________________.
  7. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  8. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  9. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  10. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  11. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  12. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  13. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  14. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  15. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  16. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  17. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  18. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  19. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  20. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  21. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  22. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  23. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  24. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.

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

Answer key

  1. fall — to drop
  2. pound — for dogs
  3. chip — in a computer
  4. cue — for pool
  5. chip — for betting
  6. charge — a price
  7. chip — to eat
  8. march — the month
  9. pound — a weight
  10. charge — in control
  11. fall — the season
  12. root — the cause
  13. cue — a hint
  14. squash — the sport
  15. root — of a word
  16. root — of a plant
  17. squash — to crush
  18. march — music
  19. charge — electricity
  20. march — the month
  21. pound — to hit hard
  22. squash — the vegetable
  23. cue — a signal
  24. fall — to drop

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