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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 · bowl · club · mouse · bay · chip · staff · firm

  1. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  2. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  3. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  4. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  5. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  6. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  7. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  8. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  9. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  10. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  11. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  12. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  13. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  14. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  15. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  16. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  17. My mare is ________________ in color.
  18. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  19. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  20. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  21. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  22. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  23. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  24. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.

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

Answer key

  1. staff — employees
  2. bowl — to roll
  3. chip — to eat
  4. bowl — a football final
  5. club — for golf
  6. mouse — the animal
  7. club — for dancing
  8. mouse — for a computer
  9. bowl — a dish
  10. chip — in a computer
  11. firm — steady
  12. chip — for betting
  13. bay — a part of the sea
  14. staff — employees
  15. bay — to keep at bay
  16. mouse — the animal
  17. bay — a horse colour
  18. pound — for dogs
  19. firm — a company
  20. firm — decided
  21. staff — a stick
  22. pound — a weight
  23. pound — to hit hard
  24. club — a group

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