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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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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: firm · trunk · dip · arm · bound · pound · chip · roll

  1. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  2. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  3. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  4. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  5. My father caught me by the ________________.
  6. That was ________________ to happen.
  7. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  8. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  9. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  10. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  11. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  12. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  13. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  14. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  15. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  16. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  17. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  18. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  19. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  20. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  21. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  22. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  23. We're on a ________________ here.
  24. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.

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

Answer key

  1. pound — a weight
  2. bound — tied together
  3. pound — to hit hard
  4. trunk — of a tree
  5. arm — part of the body
  6. bound — certain
  7. firm — a company
  8. trunk — of a car
  9. roll — a cake
  10. chip — to eat
  11. dip — a sauce
  12. chip — in a computer
  13. bound — obliged
  14. arm — a part of something
  15. trunk — of an elephant
  16. roll — a list
  17. firm — steady
  18. arm — part of the body
  19. firm — decided
  20. pound — for dogs
  21. chip — for betting
  22. dip — to dunk
  23. roll — on a roll
  24. dip — to sink

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