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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: chip · snap · mug · shower · tube · ball · firm · pound

  1. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  2. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  3. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  4. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  5. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  6. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  7. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  8. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  9. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  10. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  11. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  12. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  13. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  14. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  15. The King held a masked ________________.
  16. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  17. Where did you ________________ them?
  18. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  19. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  20. I'll be taking the ________________.
  21. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  22. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  23. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  24. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.

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

Answer key

  1. shower — a meteor shower
  2. chip — in a computer
  3. chip — for betting
  4. ball — a great time
  5. snap — to snap out of it
  6. firm — a company
  7. shower — rain
  8. pound — to hit hard
  9. ball — a round shape
  10. tube — in a tire
  11. snap — to speak sharply
  12. chip — to eat
  13. pound — a weight
  14. tube — a container
  15. ball — a dance
  16. pound — for dogs
  17. mug — to rob
  18. firm — steady
  19. shower — to wash
  20. tube — the underground
  21. mug — a cup
  22. mug — a face
  23. firm — decided
  24. snap — to click

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