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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 116 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 in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  2. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  3. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  4. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  5. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  6. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  7. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  8. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  9. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  10. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  11. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  12. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  13. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  14. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  15. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  16. There's no middle ________________.
  17. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  18. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pound — to hit hard
  2. object — to protest
  3. ground — crushed
  4. deal — to handle
  5. stick — a piece of wood
  6. ground — the earth
  7. object — a thing
  8. pound — for dogs
  9. object — an aim
  10. stick — a piece of wood
  11. stick — to attach or keep to
  12. deal — an agreement
  13. racket — for tennis
  14. pound — a weight
  15. deal — a big deal
  16. ground — a position
  17. racket — for tennis
  18. racket — a loud noise

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