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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. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  2. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  3. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  4. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  5. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  6. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  7. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  8. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  9. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  10. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  11. I can't ________________ this cold.
  12. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  13. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  14. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  15. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  16. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  17. Have you met the new head ________________?
  18. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  19. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  20. Have you found your soul ________________?
  21. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  22. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  23. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  24. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?

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

Answer key

  1. pound — to hit hard
  2. hand — in cards
  3. stand — for spectators
  4. hand — part of the body
  5. bear — to put up with
  6. row — to paddle
  7. row — a line
  8. row — a quarrel
  9. pound — a weight
  10. bear — the animal
  11. stand — to bear
  12. coach — a trainer
  13. pound — for dogs
  14. stand — on your feet
  15. mate — to breed
  16. object — a thing
  17. coach — a trainer
  18. hand — help
  19. object — to protest
  20. mate — a partner
  21. bear — the animal
  22. mate — a friend
  23. object — an aim
  24. coach — pulled by horses

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