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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. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  2. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  3. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  4. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  5. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  6. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  7. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  8. The ________________ went through the wall.
  9. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  10. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  11. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  12. Have you met the new head ________________?
  13. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  14. Did you ________________ the meat?
  15. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  16. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  17. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  18. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  19. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  20. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  21. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  22. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  23. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  24. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — in a computer
  2. season — in sport
  3. nail — for a hammer
  4. nail — on a finger
  5. pound — a weight
  6. row — to paddle
  7. coach — a trainer
  8. nail — for a hammer
  9. chip — for betting
  10. season — of the year
  11. wave — of the sea
  12. coach — a trainer
  13. pound — for dogs
  14. season — to add flavour
  15. wave — a sudden rise
  16. coach — pulled by horses
  17. row — a quarrel
  18. chip — to eat
  19. track — to keep track
  20. track — a path
  21. wave — with your hand
  22. track — a song
  23. pound — to hit hard
  24. row — a line

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