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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. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  2. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  3. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  4. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  5. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  6. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  7. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  8. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  9. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  10. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  11. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  12. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  13. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  14. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  15. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  16. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  17. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  18. The ________________ went through the wall.
  19. The tickets are free of ________________.
  20. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  21. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  22. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  23. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  24. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.

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

Answer key

  1. pound — a weight
  2. chip — to eat
  3. straw — a straw man
  4. charge — electricity
  5. straw — dry grass
  6. staff — employees
  7. squash — to crush
  8. staff — a stick
  9. staff — employees
  10. racket — for tennis
  11. squash — the sport
  12. racket — a loud noise
  13. chip — in a computer
  14. racket — for tennis
  15. straw — to clutch at straws
  16. squash — the vegetable
  17. pound — for dogs
  18. nail — for a hammer
  19. charge — a price
  20. pound — to hit hard
  21. charge — in control
  22. nail — for a hammer
  23. nail — on a finger
  24. chip — for betting

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