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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. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  2. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  3. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  4. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  5. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  6. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  7. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  8. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  9. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  10. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  11. It's one o'clock ________________.
  12. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  13. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  14. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  15. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  16. Where did you ________________ them?
  17. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  18. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  19. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  20. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  21. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  22. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  23. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  24. Don't do anything ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rest — a break
  2. pound — for dogs
  3. chip — for betting
  4. cap — of ice
  5. rash — on the skin
  6. pound — a weight
  7. pound — to hit hard
  8. sharp — with an edge
  9. cap — a lid
  10. sharp — clever
  11. sharp — exactly
  12. cue — for pool
  13. cue — a signal
  14. chip — in a computer
  15. rest — what's left
  16. mug — to rob
  17. chip — to eat
  18. rash — a series
  19. mug — a cup
  20. cue — a hint
  21. mug — a face
  22. cap — a hat
  23. rest — what's left
  24. rash — hasty

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