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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. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  2. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  3. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  4. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  5. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  6. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  7. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  8. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  9. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  10. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  11. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  12. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  13. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  14. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  15. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  16. It's one o'clock ________________.
  17. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  18. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  19. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  20. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  21. I'll be taking the ________________.
  22. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  23. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  24. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.

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

Answer key

  1. pound — for dogs
  2. pound — to hit hard
  3. capital — a city
  4. fork — to eat with
  5. sharp — clever
  6. safe — out of danger
  7. pound — a weight
  8. tube — a container
  9. lie — an untruth
  10. squash — the vegetable
  11. safe — out of danger
  12. safe — a strongbox
  13. lie — an untruth
  14. fork — a garden tool
  15. sharp — with an edge
  16. sharp — exactly
  17. squash — to crush
  18. fork — in a road
  19. squash — the sport
  20. lie — to recline
  21. tube — the underground
  22. capital — a big letter
  23. capital — money
  24. tube — in a tire

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