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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. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  2. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  3. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  4. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  5. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  6. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  7. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  8. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  9. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  10. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  11. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  12. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  13. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  14. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  15. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  16. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  17. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  18. There's no middle ________________.
  19. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  20. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  21. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  22. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  23. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  24. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.

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

Answer key

  1. hide — animal skin
  2. chip — to eat
  3. hide — to keep secret
  4. pound — for dogs
  5. ground — the earth
  6. pound — to hit hard
  7. chair — to sit on
  8. can — a tin
  9. object — an aim
  10. chip — in a computer
  11. can — to be able to
  12. cue — a hint
  13. pound — a weight
  14. ground — crushed
  15. chair — a professorship
  16. object — to protest
  17. chip — for betting
  18. ground — a position
  19. hide — to keep secret
  20. object — a thing
  21. can — a tin
  22. cue — a signal
  23. chair — a leader
  24. cue — for pool

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