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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 get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  2. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  3. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  4. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  5. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  6. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  7. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  8. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  9. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  10. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  11. The light ________________ burned out.
  12. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  13. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  14. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  15. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  16. I've got to change the light ________________.
  17. Did you ________________ the meat?
  18. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  19. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  20. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  21. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  22. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  23. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  24. Tom got himself in a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. present — a gift
  2. pound — to hit hard
  3. season — of the year
  4. bat — in an idiom
  5. bat — the animal
  6. object — a thing
  7. pound — for dogs
  8. bat — for baseball
  9. jam — to spread on bread
  10. present — there
  11. bulb — for light
  12. present — the time now
  13. object — to protest
  14. cue — for pool
  15. bulb — of a plant
  16. bulb — for light
  17. season — to add flavour
  18. cue — a hint
  19. cue — a signal
  20. object — an aim
  21. pound — a weight
  22. jam — in traffic
  23. season — in sport
  24. jam — a tight spot

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