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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 would like to have a ________________ here.
  2. The ball is in your ________________.
  3. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  4. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  5. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  6. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  7. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  8. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  9. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  10. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  11. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  12. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  13. This piece is in a major ________________.
  14. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  15. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  16. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  17. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  18. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  19. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  20. The ________________ took off on time.
  21. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  22. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  23. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  24. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.

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

Answer key

  1. rest — a break
  2. court — for sport
  3. rest — what's left
  4. pound — for dogs
  5. pound — a weight
  6. firm — decided
  7. firm — a company
  8. court — of a king
  9. calf — a young animal
  10. bass — the fish
  11. plane — in geometry
  12. firm — steady
  13. key — in music
  14. court — of law
  15. key — for a lock
  16. key — the most important part
  17. calf — of the leg
  18. pound — to hit hard
  19. bass — low music
  20. plane — an aircraft
  21. calf — a young animal
  22. bass — the instrument
  23. rest — what's left
  24. plane — 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