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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. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  2. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  3. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  4. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  5. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  6. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  7. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  8. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  9. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  10. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  11. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  12. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  13. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  14. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  15. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  16. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  17. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  18. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  19. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  20. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  21. He is an ace ________________.
  22. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  23. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  24. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — in a computer
  2. row — to paddle
  3. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  4. bank — of a river
  5. pound — a weight
  6. fan — a supporter
  7. kid — child
  8. chip — to eat
  9. pitcher — a jug
  10. row — a quarrel
  11. fan — a supporter
  12. pound — to hit hard
  13. fan — to cool the air
  14. kid — to tease
  15. bank — for money
  16. bank — for money
  17. club — a group
  18. pitcher — a jug
  19. row — a line
  20. pound — for dogs
  21. pitcher — in baseball
  22. chip — for betting
  23. club — for golf
  24. club — for dancing

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