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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: pit · pitch · pound · fine · land · bound · current · chip

  1. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  2. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  3. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  4. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  5. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  6. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  7. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  8. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  9. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  10. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  11. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  12. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  13. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  14. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  15. That was ________________ to happen.
  16. When are we going to ________________?
  17. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  18. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  19. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  20. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  21. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  22. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  23. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  24. There's a computer ________________ on the table.

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

Answer key

  1. pound — for dogs
  2. fine — high quality
  3. pound — a weight
  4. current — electric
  5. pit — in a race
  6. pitch — a sports field
  7. fine — all right
  8. land — ground
  9. fine — a penalty
  10. current — of water
  11. chip — to eat
  12. pound — to hit hard
  13. pitch — a sales talk
  14. chip — for betting
  15. bound — certain
  16. land — to come down
  17. bound — obliged
  18. pitch — completely
  19. current — happening now
  20. bound — tied together
  21. land — a country
  22. pit — a fruit stone
  23. pit — a hole
  24. chip — in a computer

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