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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: chip · squash · pound · cap · pitch · press · bank · arm

  1. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  2. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  3. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  4. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  5. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  6. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  7. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  8. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  9. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  10. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  11. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  12. My father caught me by the ________________.
  13. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  14. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  15. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  16. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  17. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  18. Did you ________________ the button?
  19. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  20. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  21. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  22. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  23. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  24. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.

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

Answer key

  1. pound — a weight
  2. press — newspapers
  3. chip — to eat
  4. cap — a lid
  5. bank — of a river
  6. press — a publisher
  7. chip — for betting
  8. cap — a hat
  9. bank — for money
  10. squash — to crush
  11. pitch — a sports field
  12. arm — part of the body
  13. pitch — a sales talk
  14. cap — of ice
  15. squash — the sport
  16. squash — the vegetable
  17. chip — in a computer
  18. press — to push
  19. arm — part of the body
  20. pound — for dogs
  21. pitch — completely
  22. pound — to hit hard
  23. bank — for money
  24. arm — a part of something

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