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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 116 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.

Make a worksheet

Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
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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. This piece is in a major ________________.
  3. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  4. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  5. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  6. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  7. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  8. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  9. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  10. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  11. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  12. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  13. Have you met the new head ________________?
  14. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  15. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  16. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  17. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  18. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  19. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  20. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  21. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  22. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  23. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  24. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pound — a weight
  2. key — in music
  3. file — a line of people
  4. present — there
  5. present — the time now
  6. mouse — for a computer
  7. mouse — the animal
  8. chair — a professorship
  9. present — a gift
  10. chair — to sit on
  11. key — the most important part
  12. file — a document
  13. coach — a trainer
  14. coach — a trainer
  15. coach — pulled by horses
  16. mouse — the animal
  17. key — for a lock
  18. pound — to hit hard
  19. kick — with a leg
  20. chair — a leader
  21. kick — in football
  22. pound — for dogs
  23. kick — a thrill
  24. file — a tool

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