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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. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  2. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  3. The King held a masked ________________.
  4. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  5. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  6. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  7. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  8. What do you think of the new ________________?
  9. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  10. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  11. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  12. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  13. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  14. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  15. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  16. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  17. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  18. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  19. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  20. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  21. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  22. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  23. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  24. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — ministers
  2. pound — for dogs
  3. ball — a dance
  4. firm — steady
  5. object — to protest
  6. branch — of a bank
  7. pound — a weight
  8. cabinet — ministers
  9. calf — a young animal
  10. calf — a young animal
  11. object — a thing
  12. branch — of a tree
  13. pound — to hit hard
  14. squash — the sport
  15. ball — a great time
  16. squash — the vegetable
  17. branch — a division
  18. firm — a company
  19. object — an aim
  20. cabinet — a cupboard
  21. firm — decided
  22. ball — a round shape
  23. calf — of the leg
  24. squash — to crush

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