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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: can · pop · rush · ground · pitcher · deal · swing · chip

  1. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  2. You don't need to ________________ round.
  3. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  4. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  5. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  6. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  7. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  8. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  9. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  10. There's no middle ________________.
  11. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  12. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  13. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  14. David sat on the ________________.
  15. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  16. That must've been a ________________.
  17. He is an ace ________________.
  18. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  19. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  20. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  21. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  22. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  23. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  24. We're almost out of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rush — to hurry
  2. pop — to visit
  3. chip — in a computer
  4. chip — for betting
  5. chip — to eat
  6. can — a tin
  7. deal — to handle
  8. swing — in golf
  9. pitcher — a jug
  10. ground — a position
  11. deal — a big deal
  12. pop — music
  13. can — to be able to
  14. swing — to play on
  15. pitcher — a jug
  16. rush — a thrill
  17. pitcher — in baseball
  18. swing — music
  19. rush — hurry
  20. ground — crushed
  21. can — a tin
  22. deal — an agreement
  23. ground — the earth
  24. pop — soda

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