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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 120 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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Word bank
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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: rule · mouse · pop · pound · bank · mug · chip · dip

  1. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  2. We're almost out of ________________.
  3. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  4. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  5. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  6. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  7. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  8. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  9. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  10. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  11. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  12. Where did you ________________ them?
  13. You don't need to ________________ round.
  14. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  15. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  16. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  17. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  18. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  19. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  20. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  21. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  22. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  23. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  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. dip — to dunk
  2. pop — soda
  3. chip — in a computer
  4. bank — for money
  5. pound — to hit hard
  6. pound — a weight
  7. dip — a sauce
  8. pop — music
  9. rule — a law
  10. mouse — the animal
  11. rule — to rule out
  12. mug — to rob
  13. pop — to visit
  14. mug — a face
  15. chip — for betting
  16. chip — to eat
  17. mouse — the animal
  18. mouse — for a computer
  19. pound — for dogs
  20. mug — a cup
  21. bank — for money
  22. dip — to sink
  23. rule — government
  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