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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. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  2. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  3. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  4. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  5. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  6. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  7. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  8. You don't need to ________________ round.
  9. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  10. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  11. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  12. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  13. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  14. We're almost out of ________________.
  15. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  16. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  17. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  18. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  19. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  20. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  21. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  22. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  23. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  24. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.

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

Answer key

  1. fork — in a road
  2. chip — for betting
  3. pound — a weight
  4. stick — to attach or keep to
  5. chip — to eat
  6. chip — in a computer
  7. pound — to hit hard
  8. pop — to visit
  9. cap — a hat
  10. craft — a skill
  11. fork — a garden tool
  12. craft — a handicraft
  13. stick — a piece of wood
  14. pop — soda
  15. fall — to drop
  16. cap — of ice
  17. craft — boats
  18. fall — to drop
  19. pound — for dogs
  20. fall — the season
  21. stick — a piece of wood
  22. cap — a lid
  23. pop — music
  24. fork — to eat with

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