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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 · bear · bank · ruler · fall · chip · degree · rush

  1. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  2. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  3. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  4. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  5. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  6. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  7. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  8. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  9. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  10. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  11. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  12. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  13. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  14. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  15. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  16. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  17. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  18. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  19. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  20. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  21. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  22. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  23. That must've been a ________________.
  24. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — to eat
  2. fall — the season
  3. bank — for money
  4. bank — of a river
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. fall — to drop
  7. rush — to hurry
  8. pound — to hit hard
  9. bank — for money
  10. ruler — a monarch
  11. pound — a weight
  12. bear — to put up with
  13. fall — to drop
  14. chip — in a computer
  15. bear — the animal
  16. degree — from a university
  17. ruler — for measuring
  18. rush — hurry
  19. degree — an amount
  20. pound — for dogs
  21. chip — for betting
  22. bear — the animal
  23. rush — a thrill
  24. degree — temperature

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