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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 116 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: chip · stick · mouse · pound · ball · lie · leaves · pass

  1. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  2. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  3. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  4. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  5. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  6. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  7. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  8. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  9. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  10. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  11. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  12. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  13. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  14. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  15. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  16. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  17. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  18. The King held a masked ________________.
  19. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  20. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  21. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  22. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  23. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  24. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — in a computer
  2. mouse — the animal
  3. chip — for betting
  4. leaves — lets stay
  5. pass — a permit
  6. stick — a piece of wood
  7. ball — a great time
  8. mouse — the animal
  9. pound — a weight
  10. pass — to succeed
  11. pound — for dogs
  12. ball — a round shape
  13. stick — a piece of wood
  14. lie — an untruth
  15. stick — to attach or keep to
  16. chip — to eat
  17. leaves — to go away
  18. ball — a dance
  19. lie — to recline
  20. pass — to spend time
  21. leaves — of a tree
  22. mouse — for a computer
  23. lie — an untruth
  24. pound — to hit hard

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