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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.

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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 · cue · mug · branch · pop · row · mate · chip

  1. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  2. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  3. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  4. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  5. Have you found your soul ________________?
  6. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  7. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  8. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  9. Where did you ________________ them?
  10. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  11. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  12. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  13. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  14. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  15. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  16. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  17. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  18. We're almost out of ________________.
  19. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  20. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  21. You don't need to ________________ round.
  22. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  23. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  24. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.

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

Answer key

  1. cue — for pool
  2. branch — of a bank
  3. cue — a signal
  4. mug — a face
  5. mate — a partner
  6. branch — a division
  7. pop — music
  8. branch — of a tree
  9. mug — to rob
  10. mug — a cup
  11. pound — for dogs
  12. chip — in a computer
  13. cue — a hint
  14. pound — a weight
  15. row — a line
  16. chip — for betting
  17. row — a quarrel
  18. pop — soda
  19. chip — to eat
  20. mate — to breed
  21. pop — to visit
  22. pound — to hit hard
  23. mate — a friend
  24. row — to paddle

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