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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.

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: pop · ball · key · chip · squash · leaves · pound · wave

  1. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  2. We're almost out of ________________.
  3. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  4. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  5. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  6. You don't need to ________________ round.
  7. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  8. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  9. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  10. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  11. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  12. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  13. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  14. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  15. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  16. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  17. This piece is in a major ________________.
  18. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  19. The King held a masked ________________.
  20. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  21. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  22. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  23. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  24. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — to go away
  2. pop — soda
  3. chip — to eat
  4. key — the most important part
  5. ball — a great time
  6. pop — to visit
  7. key — for a lock
  8. wave — a sudden rise
  9. squash — the sport
  10. pop — music
  11. leaves — of a tree
  12. ball — a round shape
  13. squash — to crush
  14. leaves — lets stay
  15. pound — for dogs
  16. chip — for betting
  17. key — in music
  18. chip — in a computer
  19. ball — a dance
  20. wave — of the sea
  21. pound — a weight
  22. wave — with your hand
  23. pound — to hit hard
  24. squash — the vegetable

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