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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: deal · rock · lash · pound · lean · chip · cabinet · ball

  1. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  2. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  3. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  4. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  5. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  6. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  7. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  8. The King held a masked ________________.
  9. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  10. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  11. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  12. What do you think of the new ________________?
  13. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  14. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  15. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  16. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  17. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  18. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  19. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  20. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  21. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  22. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  23. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  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. lean — to rest against
  2. deal — to handle
  3. chip — in a computer
  4. rock — music
  5. pound — a weight
  6. deal — an agreement
  7. lash — to lash out
  8. ball — a dance
  9. pound — for dogs
  10. lash — an eyelash
  11. pound — to hit hard
  12. cabinet — ministers
  13. cabinet — ministers
  14. ball — a great time
  15. deal — a big deal
  16. lean — thin
  17. chip — to eat
  18. lean — to bend
  19. rock — to move gently
  20. ball — a round shape
  21. rock — a stone
  22. chip — for betting
  23. cabinet — a cupboard
  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