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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 a veil over the lips.
  2. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  3. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  4. You don't need to ________________ round.
  5. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  6. The ball is in your ________________.
  7. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  8. We're almost out of ________________.
  9. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  10. I'll be taking the ________________.
  11. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  12. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  13. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  14. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  15. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  16. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  17. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  18. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  19. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  20. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  21. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  22. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  23. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  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. lie — an untruth
  2. pound — a weight
  3. tube — in a tire
  4. pop — to visit
  5. chip — to eat
  6. court — for sport
  7. pound — to hit hard
  8. pop — soda
  9. court — of a king
  10. tube — the underground
  11. lash — a whip stroke
  12. chair — to sit on
  13. tube — a container
  14. lash — an eyelash
  15. court — of law
  16. pop — music
  17. lash — to lash out
  18. lie — to recline
  19. chip — in a computer
  20. lie — an untruth
  21. chair — a leader
  22. chair — a professorship
  23. pound — for dogs
  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