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

  1. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  2. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  3. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  4. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  5. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  6. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  7. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  8. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  9. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  10. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  11. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  12. The King held a masked ________________.
  13. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  14. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  15. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  16. David sat on the ________________.
  17. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  18. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.

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

Answer key

  1. staff — a stick
  2. ball — a round shape
  3. pound — a weight
  4. ball — a great time
  5. hide — to keep secret
  6. swing — in golf
  7. tear — from crying
  8. hide — animal skin
  9. staff — employees
  10. swing — music
  11. staff — employees
  12. ball — a dance
  13. hide — to keep secret
  14. pound — to hit hard
  15. tear — from crying
  16. swing — to play on
  17. tear — to rip
  18. pound — for dogs

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