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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. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  2. Have you met the new head ________________?
  3. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  4. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  5. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  6. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  7. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  8. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  9. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  10. We're on a ________________ here.
  11. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  12. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  13. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  14. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  15. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  16. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  17. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  18. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  19. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  20. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  21. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  22. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  23. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  24. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?

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

Answer key

  1. pound — to hit hard
  2. coach — a trainer
  3. pound — for dogs
  4. lean — thin
  5. net — for catching
  6. coach — pulled by horses
  7. rule — a law
  8. roll — a list
  9. safe — out of danger
  10. roll — on a roll
  11. coach — a trainer
  12. rock — a stone
  13. net — in sport
  14. lean — to bend
  15. safe — out of danger
  16. safe — a strongbox
  17. lean — to rest against
  18. rule — government
  19. rule — to rule out
  20. pound — a weight
  21. rock — to move gently
  22. net — after costs
  23. roll — a cake
  24. rock — music

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