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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: present · pound · degree · rock · roll · pitch · fan · chip

  1. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  2. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  3. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  4. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  5. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  6. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  7. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  8. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  9. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  10. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  11. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  12. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  13. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  14. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  15. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  16. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  17. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  18. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  19. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  20. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  21. We're on a ________________ here.
  22. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  23. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  24. Can you turn the ________________ on?

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

Answer key

  1. chip — in a computer
  2. degree — temperature
  3. pound — for dogs
  4. present — there
  5. fan — a supporter
  6. rock — music
  7. present — a gift
  8. pitch — a sales talk
  9. fan — a supporter
  10. pitch — a sports field
  11. rock — a stone
  12. degree — from a university
  13. pound — a weight
  14. roll — a list
  15. roll — a cake
  16. rock — to move gently
  17. present — the time now
  18. degree — an amount
  19. pitch — completely
  20. pound — to hit hard
  21. roll — on a roll
  22. chip — to eat
  23. chip — for betting
  24. fan — to cool the air

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