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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 from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: deal · mark · chip · kick · firm · pound

  1. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  2. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  3. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  4. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  5. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  6. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  7. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  8. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  9. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  10. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  11. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  12. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  13. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  14. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  15. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  16. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  17. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  18. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — a company
  2. pound — for dogs
  3. firm — steady
  4. pound — a weight
  5. chip — for betting
  6. kick — a thrill
  7. deal — an agreement
  8. pound — to hit hard
  9. deal — to handle
  10. mark — a trace
  11. mark — a grade
  12. chip — to eat
  13. chip — in a computer
  14. kick — in football
  15. kick — with a leg
  16. mark — to pay attention
  17. deal — a big deal
  18. firm — decided

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