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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. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  2. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  3. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  4. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  5. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  6. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  7. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  8. Have you met the new head ________________?
  9. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  10. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  11. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  12. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  13. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  14. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  15. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  16. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  17. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  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. pound — a weight
  2. deal — to handle
  3. pound — to hit hard
  4. wake — a trail
  5. coach — a trainer
  6. present — the time now
  7. wake — to stop sleeping
  8. coach — a trainer
  9. deal — a big deal
  10. present — a gift
  11. present — there
  12. deal — an agreement
  13. straw — dry grass
  14. coach — pulled by horses
  15. wake — before a funeral
  16. straw — a straw man
  17. straw — to clutch at straws
  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