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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 120 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. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  2. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  3. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  4. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  5. My father caught me by the ________________.
  6. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  7. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  8. Have you met the new head ________________?
  9. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  10. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  11. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  12. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  13. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  14. The King held a masked ________________.
  15. What do you think of the new ________________?
  16. I'll be taking the ________________.
  17. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  18. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  19. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  20. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  21. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  22. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  23. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  24. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.

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

Answer key

  1. pound — to hit hard
  2. ball — a great time
  3. pound — for dogs
  4. cue — for pool
  5. arm — part of the body
  6. coach — a trainer
  7. ball — a round shape
  8. coach — a trainer
  9. cue — a signal
  10. cabinet — a cupboard
  11. cue — a hint
  12. kick — a thrill
  13. pound — a weight
  14. ball — a dance
  15. cabinet — ministers
  16. tube — the underground
  17. tube — a container
  18. kick — in football
  19. kick — with a leg
  20. arm — a part of something
  21. tube — in a tire
  22. arm — part of the body
  23. coach — pulled by horses
  24. cabinet — ministers

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