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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. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  2. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  3. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  4. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  5. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  6. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  7. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  8. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  9. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  10. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  11. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  12. Where did you ________________ them?
  13. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  14. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  15. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  16. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  17. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  18. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.

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

Answer key

  1. rock — to move gently
  2. pound — to hit hard
  3. fork — in a road
  4. firm — steady
  5. firm — a company
  6. mug — a cup
  7. pound — a weight
  8. chair — a professorship
  9. firm — decided
  10. rock — a stone
  11. mug — a face
  12. mug — to rob
  13. chair — a leader
  14. rock — music
  15. pound — for dogs
  16. chair — to sit on
  17. fork — a garden tool
  18. fork — to eat with

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