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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 116 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: net · scale · content · calf · rush · pound · spring · chip

  1. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  2. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  3. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  4. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  5. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  6. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  7. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  8. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  9. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  10. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  11. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  12. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  13. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  14. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  15. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  16. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  17. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  18. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  19. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  20. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  21. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  22. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  23. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  24. That must've been a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — for betting
  2. spring — a coil
  3. pound — a weight
  4. calf — a young animal
  5. spring — of water
  6. calf — of the leg
  7. scale — for weighing
  8. scale — size or range
  9. rush — hurry
  10. net — after costs
  11. pound — to hit hard
  12. net — in sport
  13. content — happy
  14. calf — a young animal
  15. net — for catching
  16. pound — for dogs
  17. spring — the season
  18. content — videos and posts
  19. rush — to hurry
  20. chip — in a computer
  21. scale — in music
  22. content — the amount
  23. chip — to eat
  24. rush — a thrill

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