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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. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  2. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  3. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  4. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  5. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  6. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  7. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  8. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  9. You don't need to ________________ round.
  10. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  11. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  12. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  13. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  14. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  15. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  16. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  17. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  18. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  19. We're almost out of ________________.
  20. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  21. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  22. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  23. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  24. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.

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

Answer key

  1. patient — a sick person
  2. pound — for dogs
  3. rock — to move gently
  4. can — to be able to
  5. trunk — of an elephant
  6. rock — music
  7. chip — in a computer
  8. chip — to eat
  9. pop — to visit
  10. patient — calm and waiting
  11. trunk — of a tree
  12. wake — before a funeral
  13. trunk — of a car
  14. wake — a trail
  15. wake — to stop sleeping
  16. can — a tin
  17. rock — a stone
  18. pound — a weight
  19. pop — soda
  20. patient — a sick person
  21. chip — for betting
  22. can — a tin
  23. pound — to hit hard
  24. pop — music

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