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

Word bank: chip · swing · rule · stand · snap · pound

  1. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  2. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  3. David sat on the ________________.
  4. I can't ________________ this cold.
  5. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  6. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  7. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  8. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  9. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  10. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  11. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  12. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  13. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  14. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  15. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  16. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  17. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  18. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.

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

Answer key

  1. pound — a weight
  2. stand — on your feet
  3. swing — to play on
  4. stand — to bear
  5. rule — to rule out
  6. swing — music
  7. stand — for spectators
  8. rule — a law
  9. swing — in golf
  10. rule — government
  11. chip — for betting
  12. pound — for dogs
  13. chip — in a computer
  14. snap — to click
  15. snap — to snap out of it
  16. snap — to speak sharply
  17. chip — to eat
  18. pound — to hit hard

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