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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. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  2. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  3. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  4. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  5. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  6. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  7. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  8. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  9. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  10. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  11. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  12. That must've been a ________________.
  13. David sat on the ________________.
  14. When will it ________________ you to start?
  15. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  16. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  17. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  18. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  19. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  20. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  21. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  22. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  23. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  24. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.

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

Answer key

  1. pound — for dogs
  2. rush — to hurry
  3. cap — a hat
  4. racket — for tennis
  5. pound — a weight
  6. swing — music
  7. pound — to hit hard
  8. rush — hurry
  9. safe — out of danger
  10. suit — in cards
  11. safe — out of danger
  12. rush — a thrill
  13. swing — to play on
  14. suit — to fit
  15. safe — a strongbox
  16. branch — of a bank
  17. racket — for tennis
  18. branch — of a tree
  19. racket — a loud noise
  20. cap — a lid
  21. swing — in golf
  22. cap — of ice
  23. branch — a division
  24. suit — clothes

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