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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 120 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. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  2. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  3. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  4. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  5. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  6. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  7. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  8. You don't need to ________________ round.
  9. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  10. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  11. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  12. We're almost out of ________________.
  13. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  14. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  15. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  16. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  17. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  18. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  19. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  20. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  21. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  22. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  23. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  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. straw — a straw man
  2. kick — in football
  3. pound — a weight
  4. straw — to clutch at straws
  5. kick — with a leg
  6. march — the month
  7. march — the month
  8. pop — to visit
  9. pop — music
  10. chip — to eat
  11. kick — a thrill
  12. pop — soda
  13. pound — to hit hard
  14. staff — a stick
  15. leaves — to go away
  16. pound — for dogs
  17. leaves — lets stay
  18. staff — employees
  19. leaves — of a tree
  20. march — music
  21. staff — employees
  22. chip — in a computer
  23. straw — dry grass
  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