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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. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  2. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  3. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  4. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  5. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  6. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  7. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  8. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  9. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  10. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  11. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  12. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  13. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  14. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  15. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  16. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  17. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  18. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  19. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  20. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  21. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  22. What do you think of the new ________________?
  23. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  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. squash — the sport
  2. fine — all right
  3. pound — a weight
  4. firm — a company
  5. chip — in a computer
  6. squash — to crush
  7. leaves — of a tree
  8. cabinet — ministers
  9. fine — a penalty
  10. leaves — to go away
  11. cabinet — a cupboard
  12. squash — the vegetable
  13. pound — for dogs
  14. fine — high quality
  15. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  16. firm — decided
  17. kid — child
  18. chip — to eat
  19. firm — steady
  20. kid — to tease
  21. pound — to hit hard
  22. cabinet — ministers
  23. leaves — lets stay
  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