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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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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: pound · squash · root · mug · sharp · rock · chip · kid

  1. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  2. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  3. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  4. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  5. Where did you ________________ them?
  6. It's one o'clock ________________.
  7. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  8. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  9. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  10. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  11. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  12. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  13. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  14. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  15. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  16. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  17. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  18. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  19. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  20. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  21. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  22. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  23. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  24. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.

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

Answer key

  1. kid — to tease
  2. squash — the sport
  3. pound — a weight
  4. root — of a plant
  5. mug — to rob
  6. sharp — exactly
  7. pound — for dogs
  8. chip — to eat
  9. root — the cause
  10. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  11. sharp — clever
  12. rock — to move gently
  13. pound — to hit hard
  14. mug — a cup
  15. squash — to crush
  16. rock — music
  17. chip — in a computer
  18. rock — a stone
  19. chip — for betting
  20. kid — child
  21. squash — the vegetable
  22. root — of a word
  23. sharp — with an edge
  24. mug — a face

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