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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. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  2. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  3. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  4. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  5. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  6. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  7. My father caught me by the ________________.
  8. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  9. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  10. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  11. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  12. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  13. Have you found your soul ________________?
  14. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  15. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  16. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  17. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  18. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  19. When will it ________________ you to start?
  20. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  21. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  22. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  23. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  24. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.

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

Answer key

  1. rest — a break
  2. pound — to hit hard
  3. pound — a weight
  4. pound — for dogs
  5. shower — to wash
  6. suit — in cards
  7. arm — part of the body
  8. leaves — of a tree
  9. mate — a friend
  10. shower — rain
  11. bowl — a dish
  12. leaves — lets stay
  13. mate — a partner
  14. bowl — a football final
  15. shower — a meteor shower
  16. rest — what's left
  17. arm — a part of something
  18. suit — clothes
  19. suit — to fit
  20. bowl — to roll
  21. leaves — to go away
  22. mate — to breed
  23. arm — part of the body
  24. rest — what's left

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