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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: racket · object · kid · stand · foot · stick · chip · pound

  1. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  2. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  3. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  4. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  5. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  6. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  7. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  8. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  9. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  10. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  11. I can't ________________ this cold.
  12. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  13. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  14. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  15. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  16. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  17. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  18. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  19. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  20. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  21. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  22. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  23. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  24. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  2. racket — for tennis
  3. foot — the bottom
  4. chip — for betting
  5. stick — a piece of wood
  6. stick — a piece of wood
  7. pound — to hit hard
  8. stick — to attach or keep to
  9. foot — a measure
  10. object — an aim
  11. stand — to bear
  12. stand — on your feet
  13. chip — in a computer
  14. pound — for dogs
  15. kid — child
  16. racket — for tennis
  17. stand — for spectators
  18. pound — a weight
  19. chip — to eat
  20. object — a thing
  21. kid — to tease
  22. object — to protest
  23. foot — part of the body
  24. racket — a loud noise

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