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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: pound · pit · pop · chip · lash · nail · prune · squash

  1. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  2. You don't need to ________________ round.
  3. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  4. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  5. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  6. We're almost out of ________________.
  7. The ________________ went through the wall.
  8. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  9. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  10. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  11. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  12. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  13. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  14. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  15. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  16. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  17. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  18. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  19. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  20. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  21. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  22. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  23. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  24. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — for betting
  2. pop — to visit
  3. pound — to hit hard
  4. lash — to lash out
  5. prune — to trim
  6. pop — soda
  7. nail — for a hammer
  8. pit — a fruit stone
  9. prune — to trim
  10. pound — for dogs
  11. squash — to crush
  12. prune — the fruit
  13. chip — in a computer
  14. chip — to eat
  15. nail — for a hammer
  16. pit — in a race
  17. nail — on a finger
  18. pit — a hole
  19. lash — an eyelash
  20. pound — a weight
  21. pop — music
  22. squash — the sport
  23. squash — the vegetable
  24. lash — a whip stroke

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