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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 116 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. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  2. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  3. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  4. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  5. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  6. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  7. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  8. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  9. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  10. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  11. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  12. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  13. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  14. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  15. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  16. Where did you ________________ them?
  17. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  18. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  19. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  20. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  21. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  22. When are we going to ________________?
  23. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  24. I don't want to ________________ the boat.

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

Answer key

  1. rock — a stone
  2. chip — in a computer
  3. pound — for dogs
  4. land — a country
  5. mug — a cup
  6. pound — to hit hard
  7. capital — a city
  8. wave — with your hand
  9. mug — a face
  10. chip — for betting
  11. capital — money
  12. pound — a weight
  13. capital — a big letter
  14. wave — a sudden rise
  15. dip — a sauce
  16. mug — to rob
  17. chip — to eat
  18. dip — to dunk
  19. land — ground
  20. dip — to sink
  21. rock — music
  22. land — to come down
  23. wave — of the sea
  24. rock — to move gently

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