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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. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  2. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  3. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  4. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  5. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  6. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  7. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  8. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  9. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  10. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  11. He is an ace ________________.
  12. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  13. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  14. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  15. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  16. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  17. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  18. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  19. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  20. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  21. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  22. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  23. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  24. What was your ________________ profit last year?

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

Answer key

  1. pound — for dogs
  2. net — for catching
  3. chip — in a computer
  4. pound — a weight
  5. chip — for betting
  6. deal — a big deal
  7. bass — the fish
  8. stick — a piece of wood
  9. wind — to turn a key
  10. deal — an agreement
  11. pitcher — in baseball
  12. pound — to hit hard
  13. chip — to eat
  14. wind — moving air
  15. bass — the instrument
  16. stick — a piece of wood
  17. stick — to attach or keep to
  18. deal — to handle
  19. wind — moving air
  20. net — in sport
  21. pitcher — a jug
  22. pitcher — a jug
  23. bass — low music
  24. net — after costs

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