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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. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  2. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  3. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  4. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  5. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  6. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  7. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  8. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  9. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  10. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  11. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  12. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  13. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  14. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  15. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  16. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  17. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  18. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  19. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  20. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  21. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  22. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  23. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  24. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.

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

Answer key

  1. pound — for dogs
  2. chip — to eat
  3. lie — an untruth
  4. pound — a weight
  5. drill — the tool
  6. chip — in a computer
  7. cue — a signal
  8. lie — to recline
  9. drill — army training
  10. vault — an arched ceiling
  11. lie — an untruth
  12. band — a music group
  13. band — a ring
  14. cue — a hint
  15. rock — to move gently
  16. rock — a stone
  17. pound — to hit hard
  18. vault — in gymnastics
  19. band — a rubber band
  20. vault — a safe
  21. cue — for pool
  22. drill — a practice
  23. rock — music
  24. chip — for betting

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