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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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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. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  2. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  3. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  4. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  5. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  6. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  7. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  8. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  9. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  10. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  11. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  12. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  13. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  14. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  15. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  16. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  17. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  18. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.

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

Answer key

  1. chest — a box
  2. pound — a weight
  3. safe — a strongbox
  4. object — a thing
  5. mark — a grade
  6. mark — a trace
  7. chest — of your body
  8. mark — to pay attention
  9. safe — out of danger
  10. chest — of your body
  11. pound — to hit hard
  12. pound — for dogs
  13. object — an aim
  14. safe — out of danger
  15. staff — employees
  16. staff — a stick
  17. object — to protest
  18. staff — employees

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