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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: pound · saw · lash · charge · press · bowl · chip · foot

  1. Did you ________________ the button?
  2. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  3. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  4. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  5. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  6. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  7. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  8. She's very handy with a ________________.
  9. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  10. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  11. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  12. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  13. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  14. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  15. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  16. The tickets are free of ________________.
  17. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  18. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  19. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  20. He works in a ________________ mill.
  21. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  22. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  23. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  24. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.

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

Answer key

  1. press — to push
  2. saw — past of 'see'
  3. chip — for betting
  4. pound — for dogs
  5. pound — a weight
  6. press — newspapers
  7. foot — a measure
  8. saw — the tool
  9. pound — to hit hard
  10. lash — an eyelash
  11. bowl — a dish
  12. lash — a whip stroke
  13. charge — electricity
  14. bowl — to roll
  15. charge — in control
  16. charge — a price
  17. foot — part of the body
  18. lash — to lash out
  19. press — a publisher
  20. saw — the tool
  21. chip — in a computer
  22. chip — to eat
  23. bowl — a football final
  24. foot — the bottom

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