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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. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  2. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  3. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  4. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  5. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  6. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  7. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  8. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  9. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  10. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  11. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  12. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  13. We're on a ________________ here.
  14. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  15. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  16. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  17. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  18. I can't ________________ this cold.
  19. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  20. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  21. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  22. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  23. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  24. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?

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

Answer key

  1. stand — on your feet
  2. chip — for betting
  3. roll — a list
  4. mouse — the animal
  5. dip — a sauce
  6. pound — for dogs
  7. dip — to dunk
  8. bore — to drill
  9. bore — gave birth
  10. mouse — the animal
  11. pound — a weight
  12. roll — a cake
  13. roll — on a roll
  14. chip — in a computer
  15. bore — to tire
  16. dip — to sink
  17. object — an aim
  18. stand — to bear
  19. chip — to eat
  20. pound — to hit hard
  21. object — a thing
  22. stand — for spectators
  23. mouse — for a computer
  24. object — to protest

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