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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. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  3. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  4. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  5. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  6. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  7. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  8. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  9. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  10. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  11. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  12. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  13. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  14. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  15. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  16. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  17. My mare is ________________ in color.
  18. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  19. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  20. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  21. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  22. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  23. The ball is in your ________________.
  24. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.

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

Answer key

  1. pound — to hit hard
  2. bay — a part of the sea
  3. net — in sport
  4. court — of law
  5. race — a contest
  6. chair — a professorship
  7. racket — a loud noise
  8. chair — a leader
  9. racket — for tennis
  10. race — the arms race
  11. pound — for dogs
  12. court — of a king
  13. chair — to sit on
  14. racket — for tennis
  15. pound — a weight
  16. bay — to keep at bay
  17. bay — a horse colour
  18. calf — of the leg
  19. net — after costs
  20. race — humankind
  21. calf — a young animal
  22. net — for catching
  23. court — for sport
  24. calf — a young animal

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