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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. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  2. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  3. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  4. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  5. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  6. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  7. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  8. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  9. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  10. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  11. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  12. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  13. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  14. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  15. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  16. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  17. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  18. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  19. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  20. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  21. Where did you ________________ them?
  22. That was a fun ________________.
  23. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  24. Biology is a ________________ of science.

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

Answer key

  1. pound — for dogs
  2. branch — of a tree
  3. mug — a face
  4. pound — to hit hard
  5. mug — a cup
  6. chair — to sit on
  7. pit — a fruit stone
  8. firm — decided
  9. branch — of a bank
  10. pit — a hole
  11. pound — a weight
  12. pit — in a race
  13. wax — in the ear
  14. firm — a company
  15. wax — for sculpting
  16. game — a kind of play
  17. chair — a leader
  18. firm — steady
  19. wax — to grow
  20. chair — a professorship
  21. mug — to rob
  22. game — a match
  23. game — wild animals
  24. branch — a division

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