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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. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  2. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  3. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  4. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  5. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  6. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  7. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  8. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  9. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  10. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  11. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  12. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  13. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  14. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  15. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  16. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  17. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  18. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  19. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  20. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  21. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  22. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  23. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  24. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.

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

Answer key

  1. pound — a weight
  2. current — of water
  3. wind — moving air
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. bear — the animal
  6. pitch — a sports field
  7. pound — to hit hard
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. pitch — completely
  10. chip — in a computer
  11. bear — the animal
  12. ruler — a monarch
  13. pitch — a sales talk
  14. current — happening now
  15. wind — to turn a key
  16. chip — to eat
  17. bear — to put up with
  18. wind — moving air
  19. bank — of a river
  20. pound — for dogs
  21. current — electric
  22. bank — for money
  23. chip — for betting
  24. bank — for money

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