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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. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  2. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  3. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  4. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  5. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  6. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  7. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  8. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  9. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  10. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  11. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  12. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  13. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  14. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  15. We're on a ________________ here.
  16. Have you met the new head ________________?
  17. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  18. The ________________ took off on time.
  19. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  20. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  21. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  22. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  23. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  24. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. coach — pulled by horses
  2. firm — decided
  3. cue — a signal
  4. pound — a weight
  5. firm — steady
  6. lie — an untruth
  7. pound — for dogs
  8. cue — a hint
  9. plane — in geometry
  10. calf — a young animal
  11. lie — an untruth
  12. plane — a tool
  13. cue — for pool
  14. firm — a company
  15. roll — on a roll
  16. coach — a trainer
  17. pound — to hit hard
  18. plane — an aircraft
  19. coach — a trainer
  20. calf — a young animal
  21. calf — of the leg
  22. lie — to recline
  23. roll — a list
  24. roll — a cake

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