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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. Did you ________________ the meat?
  3. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  4. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  5. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  6. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  7. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  8. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  9. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  10. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  11. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  12. I'll be taking the ________________.
  13. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  14. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  15. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  16. We're on a ________________ here.
  17. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  18. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  19. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  20. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  21. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  22. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  23. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  24. This piece is in a major ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pound — a weight
  2. season — to add flavour
  3. chair — to sit on
  4. current — of water
  5. tube — a container
  6. lash — to lash out
  7. tube — in a tire
  8. chair — a leader
  9. season — in sport
  10. current — electric
  11. pound — for dogs
  12. tube — the underground
  13. roll — a cake
  14. season — of the year
  15. roll — a list
  16. roll — on a roll
  17. lash — an eyelash
  18. chair — a professorship
  19. current — happening now
  20. key — the most important part
  21. key — for a lock
  22. pound — to hit hard
  23. lash — a whip stroke
  24. key — in 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