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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 124 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. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  2. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  3. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  4. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  5. David sat on the ________________.
  6. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  7. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  8. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  9. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  10. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  11. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  12. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  13. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  14. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  15. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  16. He is an ace ________________.
  17. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  18. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  19. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  20. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  21. We're on a ________________ here.
  22. When was this ________________ built?
  23. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  24. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — for betting
  2. chip — in a computer
  3. roll — a list
  4. drill — a practice
  5. swing — to play on
  6. pound — for dogs
  7. deal — to handle
  8. deal — a big deal
  9. deal — an agreement
  10. pitcher — a jug
  11. roll — a cake
  12. swing — music
  13. temple — side of the head
  14. pitcher — a jug
  15. chip — to eat
  16. pitcher — in baseball
  17. pound — to hit hard
  18. drill — army training
  19. drill — the tool
  20. temple — a place of worship
  21. roll — on a roll
  22. temple — a place of worship
  23. pound — a weight
  24. swing — in golf

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