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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. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  2. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  3. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  4. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  5. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  6. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  7. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  8. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  9. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  10. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  11. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  12. We're almost out of ________________.
  13. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  14. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  15. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  16. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  17. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  18. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  19. You don't need to ________________ round.
  20. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  21. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  22. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  23. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  24. He was blown up by a land ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — in a computer
  2. root — the cause
  3. pound — to hit hard
  4. mine — belonging to me
  5. lash — an eyelash
  6. patient — calm and waiting
  7. chip — for betting
  8. bank — for money
  9. pop — music
  10. patient — a sick person
  11. pound — a weight
  12. pop — soda
  13. patient — a sick person
  14. bank — of a river
  15. pound — for dogs
  16. bank — for money
  17. root — of a word
  18. lash — a whip stroke
  19. pop — to visit
  20. lash — to lash out
  21. root — of a plant
  22. chip — to eat
  23. mine — for digging
  24. mine — an explosive

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