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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: bound · temple · dip · pop · rash · pound · chip · current

  1. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  2. You don't need to ________________ round.
  3. When was this ________________ built?
  4. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  5. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  6. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  7. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  8. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  9. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  10. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  11. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  12. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  13. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  14. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  15. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  16. We're almost out of ________________.
  17. That was ________________ to happen.
  18. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  19. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  20. Don't do anything ________________.
  21. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  22. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  23. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  24. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.

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

Answer key

  1. current — of water
  2. pop — to visit
  3. temple — a place of worship
  4. temple — side of the head
  5. pop — music
  6. chip — for betting
  7. bound — tied together
  8. dip — to sink
  9. current — happening now
  10. chip — in a computer
  11. current — electric
  12. pound — a weight
  13. pound — to hit hard
  14. dip — to dunk
  15. dip — a sauce
  16. pop — soda
  17. bound — certain
  18. chip — to eat
  19. rash — a series
  20. rash — hasty
  21. rash — on the skin
  22. pound — for dogs
  23. bound — obliged
  24. temple — a place of worship

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