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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 116 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. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  2. You don't need to ________________ round.
  3. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  4. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  5. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  6. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  7. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  8. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  9. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  10. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  11. I'll be taking the ________________.
  12. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  13. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  14. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  15. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  16. We're almost out of ________________.
  17. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  18. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  19. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  20. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  21. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  22. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  23. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  24. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. cap — of ice
  2. pop — to visit
  3. pit — in a race
  4. tube — a container
  5. fine — high quality
  6. pound — to hit hard
  7. pop — music
  8. pit — a hole
  9. fine — a penalty
  10. cap — a hat
  11. tube — the underground
  12. bank — of a river
  13. bank — for money
  14. fine — all right
  15. chip — in a computer
  16. pop — soda
  17. bank — for money
  18. pound — a weight
  19. tube — in a tire
  20. chip — for betting
  21. chip — to eat
  22. cap — a lid
  23. pound — for dogs
  24. pit — a fruit stone

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