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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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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 · bear · chip · temple · squash · patient · stand · wake

  1. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  2. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  3. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  4. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  5. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  6. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  7. I can't ________________ this cold.
  8. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  9. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  10. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  11. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  12. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  13. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  14. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  15. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  16. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  17. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  18. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  19. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  20. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  21. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  22. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  23. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  24. When was this ________________ built?

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

Answer key

  1. pound — a weight
  2. chip — for betting
  3. patient — a sick person
  4. chip — in a computer
  5. patient — calm and waiting
  6. bear — the animal
  7. stand — to bear
  8. pound — to hit hard
  9. wake — to stop sleeping
  10. pound — for dogs
  11. stand — on your feet
  12. patient — a sick person
  13. stand — for spectators
  14. wake — a trail
  15. bear — the animal
  16. wake — before a funeral
  17. temple — a place of worship
  18. chip — to eat
  19. bear — to put up with
  20. squash — to crush
  21. squash — the sport
  22. temple — side of the head
  23. squash — the vegetable
  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