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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 120 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 · chip · pop · race · firm · game · fall · bowl

  1. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  2. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  3. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  4. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  5. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  6. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  7. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  8. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  9. We're almost out of ________________.
  10. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  11. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  12. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  13. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  14. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  15. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  16. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  17. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  18. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  19. That was a fun ________________.
  20. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  21. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  22. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  23. You don't need to ________________ round.
  24. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — for betting
  2. rock — to move gently
  3. race — humankind
  4. pop — music
  5. fall — the season
  6. fall — to drop
  7. chip — to eat
  8. bowl — a football final
  9. pop — soda
  10. firm — steady
  11. race — the arms race
  12. bowl — to roll
  13. game — wild animals
  14. game — a kind of play
  15. fall — to drop
  16. chip — in a computer
  17. firm — decided
  18. firm — a company
  19. game — a match
  20. rock — music
  21. bowl — a dish
  22. rock — a stone
  23. pop — to visit
  24. race — a contest

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