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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: last · mouse · chip · press · pit · fork · pop · pound

  1. We're almost out of ________________.
  2. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  3. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  4. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  5. Did you ________________ the button?
  6. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  7. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  8. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  9. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  10. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  11. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  12. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  13. False peace will not ________________.
  14. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  15. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  16. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  17. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  18. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  19. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  20. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  21. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  22. You don't need to ________________ round.
  23. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  24. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.

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

Answer key

  1. pop — soda
  2. chip — for betting
  3. press — newspapers
  4. last — final
  5. press — to push
  6. pit — a fruit stone
  7. mouse — the animal
  8. fork — to eat with
  9. pit — in a race
  10. pop — music
  11. pound — for dogs
  12. press — a publisher
  13. last — to go on
  14. pound — to hit hard
  15. pit — a hole
  16. last — finally
  17. fork — a garden tool
  18. chip — in a computer
  19. mouse — the animal
  20. chip — to eat
  21. fork — in a road
  22. pop — to visit
  23. mouse — for a computer
  24. pound — a weight

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