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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. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  2. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  3. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  4. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  5. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  6. The tickets are free of ________________.
  7. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  8. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  9. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  10. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  11. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  12. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  13. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  14. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  15. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  16. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  17. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  18. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  19. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  20. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  21. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  22. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  23. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  24. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?

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

Answer key

  1. pound — to hit hard
  2. squash — to crush
  3. bank — for money
  4. pound — for dogs
  5. charge — electricity
  6. charge — a price
  7. kick — a thrill
  8. patient — a sick person
  9. chip — in a computer
  10. patient — a sick person
  11. cap — a hat
  12. kick — in football
  13. squash — the vegetable
  14. pound — a weight
  15. cap — of ice
  16. chip — to eat
  17. patient — calm and waiting
  18. bank — of a river
  19. kick — with a leg
  20. squash — the sport
  21. charge — in control
  22. bank — for money
  23. chip — for betting
  24. cap — a lid

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