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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. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  2. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  3. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  4. You don't need to ________________ round.
  5. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  6. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  7. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  8. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  9. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  10. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  11. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  12. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  13. I can't ________________ this cold.
  14. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  15. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  16. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  17. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  18. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  19. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  20. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  21. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  22. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  23. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  24. We're almost out of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — for betting
  2. band — a music group
  3. band — a rubber band
  4. pop — to visit
  5. pop — music
  6. club — a group
  7. bark — to shout
  8. stand — on your feet
  9. chip — in a computer
  10. band — a ring
  11. club — for dancing
  12. stand — for spectators
  13. stand — to bear
  14. staff — employees
  15. bark — a dog's sound
  16. shower — rain
  17. club — for golf
  18. shower — a meteor shower
  19. staff — a stick
  20. shower — to wash
  21. staff — employees
  22. chip — to eat
  23. bark — of a tree
  24. pop — soda

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