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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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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 · fall · chip · wind · deal · stand · perch · bulb

  1. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  2. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  3. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  4. I can't ________________ this cold.
  5. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  6. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  7. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  8. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  9. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  10. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  11. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  12. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  13. The light ________________ burned out.
  14. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  15. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  16. I've got to change the light ________________.
  17. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  18. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  19. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  20. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  21. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  22. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  23. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  24. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — for betting
  2. fall — the season
  3. deal — to handle
  4. stand — to bear
  5. chip — in a computer
  6. wind — moving air
  7. deal — a big deal
  8. chip — to eat
  9. pound — for dogs
  10. wind — to turn a key
  11. perch — for a bird
  12. perch — the fish
  13. bulb — for light
  14. bulb — of a plant
  15. wind — moving air
  16. bulb — for light
  17. deal — an agreement
  18. pound — a weight
  19. stand — on your feet
  20. fall — to drop
  21. pound — to hit hard
  22. fall — to drop
  23. stand — for spectators
  24. perch — for a bird

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