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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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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: lean · mug · can · pound · chip · kid · leaves · ground

  1. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  2. Where did you ________________ them?
  3. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  4. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  5. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  6. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  7. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  8. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  9. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  10. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  11. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  12. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  13. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  14. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  15. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  16. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  17. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  18. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  19. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  20. There's no middle ________________.
  21. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  22. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  23. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  24. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — to eat
  2. mug — to rob
  3. can — a tin
  4. leaves — lets stay
  5. kid — to tease
  6. mug — a cup
  7. lean — to rest against
  8. can — a tin
  9. can — to be able to
  10. pound — a weight
  11. pound — to hit hard
  12. lean — thin
  13. kid — child
  14. mug — a face
  15. leaves — of a tree
  16. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  17. chip — in a computer
  18. ground — the earth
  19. chip — for betting
  20. ground — a position
  21. leaves — to go away
  22. pound — for dogs
  23. ground — crushed
  24. lean — to bend

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