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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: ground · chip · net · cue · object · mark · pound · bank

  1. There's no middle ________________.
  2. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  3. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  4. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  5. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  6. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  7. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  8. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  9. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  10. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  11. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  12. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  13. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  14. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  15. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  16. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  17. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  18. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  19. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  20. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  21. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  22. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  23. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  24. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.

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

Answer key

  1. ground — a position
  2. object — to protest
  3. cue — for pool
  4. chip — in a computer
  5. pound — to hit hard
  6. pound — for dogs
  7. ground — crushed
  8. net — for catching
  9. net — in sport
  10. bank — of a river
  11. chip — to eat
  12. chip — for betting
  13. mark — a grade
  14. object — an aim
  15. cue — a hint
  16. mark — to pay attention
  17. cue — a signal
  18. bank — for money
  19. mark — a trace
  20. ground — the earth
  21. bank — for money
  22. net — after costs
  23. object — a thing
  24. pound — a weight

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