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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: leaves · race · chip · pop · pass · kick · chair · pound

  1. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  2. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  3. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  4. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  5. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  6. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  7. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  8. We're almost out of ________________.
  9. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  10. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  11. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  12. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  13. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  14. You don't need to ________________ round.
  15. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  16. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  17. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  18. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  19. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  20. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  21. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  22. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  23. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  24. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — lets stay
  2. leaves — to go away
  3. kick — a thrill
  4. pound — to hit hard
  5. pound — a weight
  6. pass — a permit
  7. chip — in a computer
  8. pop — soda
  9. chair — a professorship
  10. pass — to spend time
  11. chip — to eat
  12. kick — in football
  13. kick — with a leg
  14. pop — to visit
  15. pop — music
  16. chair — to sit on
  17. pound — for dogs
  18. race — humankind
  19. chip — for betting
  20. leaves — of a tree
  21. race — a contest
  22. race — the arms race
  23. pass — to succeed
  24. chair — a leader

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