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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. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  2. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  3. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  4. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  5. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  6. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  7. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  8. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  9. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  10. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  11. There's no middle ________________.
  12. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  13. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  14. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  15. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  16. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  17. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  18. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  19. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  20. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  21. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  22. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  23. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  24. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — for betting
  2. march — the month
  3. staff — a stick
  4. lash — to lash out
  5. lash — an eyelash
  6. lash — a whip stroke
  7. march — music
  8. chip — in a computer
  9. pound — a weight
  10. bank — for money
  11. ground — a position
  12. pound — for dogs
  13. pit — a hole
  14. pit — a fruit stone
  15. bank — for money
  16. chip — to eat
  17. march — the month
  18. staff — employees
  19. pound — to hit hard
  20. staff — employees
  21. ground — the earth
  22. pit — in a race
  23. ground — crushed
  24. bank — of a river

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