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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. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  2. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  3. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  4. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  5. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  6. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  7. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  8. Have you met the new head ________________?
  9. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  10. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  11. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  12. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  13. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  14. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  15. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  16. Have you found your soul ________________?
  17. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  18. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  19. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  20. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  21. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  22. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  23. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  24. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.

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

Answer key

  1. pound — a weight
  2. coach — pulled by horses
  3. mate — to breed
  4. fine — a penalty
  5. object — an aim
  6. mate — a friend
  7. wake — a trail
  8. coach — a trainer
  9. bear — to put up with
  10. bear — the animal
  11. pit — a hole
  12. pit — in a race
  13. pound — to hit hard
  14. wake — to stop sleeping
  15. object — a thing
  16. mate — a partner
  17. fine — all right
  18. fine — high quality
  19. pit — a fruit stone
  20. object — to protest
  21. pound — for dogs
  22. coach — a trainer
  23. bear — the animal
  24. wake — before a funeral

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