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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. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  2. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  3. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  4. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  5. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  6. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  7. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  8. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  9. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  10. Have you met the new head ________________?
  11. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  12. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  13. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  14. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  15. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  16. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  17. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  18. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  19. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  20. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  21. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  22. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  23. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  24. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.

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

Answer key

  1. coach — a trainer
  2. bear — to put up with
  3. pound — a weight
  4. pass — to spend time
  5. kick — a thrill
  6. object — to protest
  7. pound — for dogs
  8. pitch — completely
  9. pitch — a sales talk
  10. coach — a trainer
  11. pass — to succeed
  12. object — an aim
  13. pitch — a sports field
  14. coach — pulled by horses
  15. pass — a permit
  16. branch — of a bank
  17. kick — in football
  18. branch — a division
  19. pound — to hit hard
  20. branch — of a tree
  21. bear — the animal
  22. bear — the animal
  23. kick — with a leg
  24. object — a thing

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