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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. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  2. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  3. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  4. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  5. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  6. You don't need to ________________ round.
  7. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  8. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  9. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  10. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  11. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  12. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  13. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  14. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  15. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  16. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  17. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  18. We're almost out of ________________.
  19. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  20. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  21. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  22. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  23. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  24. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.

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

Answer key

  1. present — the time now
  2. pound — for dogs
  3. pop — music
  4. cue — for pool
  5. pound — to hit hard
  6. pop — to visit
  7. present — there
  8. club — a group
  9. club — for golf
  10. fine — all right
  11. field — for sport
  12. mine — an explosive
  13. club — for dancing
  14. mine — belonging to me
  15. cue — a hint
  16. cue — a signal
  17. mine — for digging
  18. pop — soda
  19. present — a gift
  20. field — farmland
  21. pound — a weight
  22. fine — high quality
  23. fine — a penalty
  24. field — a subject

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