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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. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  3. Don't do anything ________________.
  4. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  5. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  6. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  7. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  8. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  9. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  10. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  11. My mare is ________________ in color.
  12. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  13. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  14. That was ________________ to happen.
  15. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  16. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  17. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  18. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  19. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  20. The King held a masked ________________.
  21. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  22. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  23. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  24. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.

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

Answer key

  1. pound — to hit hard
  2. fork — in a road
  3. rash — hasty
  4. fork — to eat with
  5. bay — to keep at bay
  6. ball — a great time
  7. pitch — a sales talk
  8. foot — part of the body
  9. ball — a round shape
  10. foot — a measure
  11. bay — a horse colour
  12. pound — a weight
  13. bound — obliged
  14. bound — certain
  15. rash — on the skin
  16. pitch — a sports field
  17. foot — the bottom
  18. bay — a part of the sea
  19. bound — tied together
  20. ball — a dance
  21. pound — for dogs
  22. fork — a garden tool
  23. rash — a series
  24. pitch — completely

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