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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. Did you ________________ the meat?
  2. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  3. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  4. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  5. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  6. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  7. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  8. My mare is ________________ in color.
  9. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  10. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  11. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  12. Have you settled on a ________________?
  13. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  14. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  15. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  16. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  17. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  18. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  19. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  20. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  21. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  22. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  23. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  24. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.

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

Answer key

  1. season — to add flavour
  2. safe — a strongbox
  3. fork — a garden tool
  4. pound — a weight
  5. firm — decided
  6. kick — a thrill
  7. kick — with a leg
  8. bay — a horse colour
  9. fork — to eat with
  10. safe — out of danger
  11. season — in sport
  12. date — on the calendar
  13. date — on the calendar
  14. firm — steady
  15. fork — in a road
  16. bay — a part of the sea
  17. date — the fruit
  18. pound — for dogs
  19. kick — in football
  20. bay — to keep at bay
  21. firm — a company
  22. safe — out of danger
  23. season — of the year
  24. pound — to hit hard

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