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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: rock · pound · leaves · hide · file · spell · swing · chip

  1. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  2. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  3. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  4. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  5. David sat on the ________________.
  6. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  7. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  8. How do you ________________ your surname?
  9. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  10. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  11. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  12. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  13. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  14. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  15. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  16. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  17. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  18. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  19. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  20. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  21. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  22. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  23. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  24. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.

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

Answer key

  1. swing — music
  2. chip — for betting
  3. rock — a stone
  4. leaves — to go away
  5. swing — to play on
  6. leaves — lets stay
  7. hide — to keep secret
  8. spell — letters
  9. pound — a weight
  10. rock — to move gently
  11. spell — a short time
  12. hide — animal skin
  13. hide — to keep secret
  14. pound — for dogs
  15. chip — in a computer
  16. file — a document
  17. file — a tool
  18. file — a line of people
  19. rock — music
  20. spell — magic
  21. chip — to eat
  22. pound — to hit hard
  23. leaves — of a tree
  24. swing — in golf

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