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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 120 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'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  2. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  3. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  4. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  5. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  6. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  7. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  8. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  9. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  10. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  11. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  12. He was locked up in a ________________.
  13. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  14. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  15. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  16. We're almost out of ________________.
  17. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  18. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  19. You don't need to ________________ round.
  20. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  21. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  22. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  23. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  24. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — steady
  2. firm — a company
  3. cue — a signal
  4. firm — decided
  5. content — happy
  6. cue — a hint
  7. pound — a weight
  8. cell — a phone
  9. content — the amount
  10. content — videos and posts
  11. cue — for pool
  12. cell — in a prison
  13. pop — music
  14. can — a tin
  15. can — to be able to
  16. pop — soda
  17. wake — to stop sleeping
  18. pound — for dogs
  19. pop — to visit
  20. cell — in biology
  21. wake — before a funeral
  22. wake — a trail
  23. pound — to hit hard
  24. can — a tin

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