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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. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  2. We're almost out of ________________.
  3. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  4. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  5. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  6. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  7. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  8. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  9. I can't ________________ this cold.
  10. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  11. She's very handy with a ________________.
  12. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  13. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  14. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  15. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  16. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  17. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  18. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  19. He works in a ________________ mill.
  20. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  21. You don't need to ________________ round.
  22. When was this ________________ built?
  23. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  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. pop — music
  2. pop — soda
  3. chip — for betting
  4. present — the time now
  5. present — a gift
  6. saw — past of 'see'
  7. bank — for money
  8. stand — on your feet
  9. stand — to bear
  10. temple — a place of worship
  11. saw — the tool
  12. pound — to hit hard
  13. chip — to eat
  14. temple — side of the head
  15. bank — of a river
  16. chip — in a computer
  17. stand — for spectators
  18. pound — a weight
  19. saw — the tool
  20. present — there
  21. pop — to visit
  22. temple — a place of worship
  23. pound — for dogs
  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