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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. David sat on the ________________.
  2. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  3. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  4. When are we going to ________________?
  5. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  6. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  7. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  8. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  9. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  10. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  11. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  12. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  13. It's one o'clock ________________.
  14. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  15. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  16. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  17. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  18. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  19. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  20. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  21. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  22. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  23. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  24. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.

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

Answer key

  1. swing — to play on
  2. swing — music
  3. dip — to sink
  4. land — to come down
  5. pound — a weight
  6. sharp — clever
  7. leaves — to go away
  8. chip — in a computer
  9. pound — to hit hard
  10. swing — in golf
  11. chip — to eat
  12. pound — for dogs
  13. sharp — exactly
  14. mouse — for a computer
  15. land — ground
  16. leaves — of a tree
  17. dip — a sauce
  18. land — a country
  19. mouse — the animal
  20. mouse — the animal
  21. sharp — with an edge
  22. chip — for betting
  23. dip — to dunk
  24. leaves — lets stay

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