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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. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  2. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  3. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  4. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  5. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  6. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  7. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  8. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  9. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  10. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  11. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  12. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  13. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  14. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  15. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  16. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  17. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  18. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  19. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  20. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  21. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  22. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  23. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  24. Should I buy a wireless ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. pound — a weight
  2. cue — a hint
  3. racket — a loud noise
  4. pound — to hit hard
  5. shower — a meteor shower
  6. bank — of a river
  7. racket — for tennis
  8. wake — before a funeral
  9. pound — for dogs
  10. cue — a signal
  11. chip — for betting
  12. bank — for money
  13. racket — for tennis
  14. wake — to stop sleeping
  15. cue — for pool
  16. wake — a trail
  17. chip — in a computer
  18. chip — to eat
  19. shower — to wash
  20. mouse — the animal
  21. shower — rain
  22. bank — for money
  23. mouse — the animal
  24. mouse — for a computer

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