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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.

Words on the sheet
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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: foot · bank · bound · charge · mine · kid · chip · pop

  1. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  2. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  3. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  4. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  5. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  6. That was ________________ to happen.
  7. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  8. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  9. You don't need to ________________ round.
  10. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  11. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  12. The tickets are free of ________________.
  13. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  14. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  15. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  16. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  17. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  18. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  19. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  20. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  21. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  22. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  23. We're almost out of ________________.
  24. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. foot — the bottom
  2. pop — music
  3. chip — in a computer
  4. bound — obliged
  5. foot — a measure
  6. bound — certain
  7. kid — to tease
  8. mine — an explosive
  9. pop — to visit
  10. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  11. chip — for betting
  12. charge — a price
  13. foot — part of the body
  14. bank — for money
  15. bank — of a river
  16. charge — in control
  17. bank — for money
  18. chip — to eat
  19. mine — belonging to me
  20. charge — electricity
  21. mine — for digging
  22. bound — tied together
  23. pop — soda
  24. kid — child

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