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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.

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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. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  2. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  3. The King held a masked ________________.
  4. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  5. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  6. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  7. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  8. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  9. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  10. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  11. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  12. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  13. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  14. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  15. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  16. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  17. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  18. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  19. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  20. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  21. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  22. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  23. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  24. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a great time
  2. spring — of water
  3. ball — a dance
  4. mark — a grade
  5. pound — a weight
  6. fall — the season
  7. pound — to hit hard
  8. spring — a coil
  9. calf — of the leg
  10. pound — for dogs
  11. ball — a round shape
  12. calf — a young animal
  13. firm — a company
  14. firm — decided
  15. mark — a trace
  16. staff — a stick
  17. staff — employees
  18. mark — to pay attention
  19. calf — a young animal
  20. staff — employees
  21. firm — steady
  22. fall — to drop
  23. spring — the season
  24. fall — to drop

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