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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 120 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. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  2. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  3. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  4. It's one o'clock ________________.
  5. My mare is ________________ in color.
  6. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  7. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  8. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  9. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  10. What do you think of the new ________________?
  11. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  12. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  13. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  14. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  15. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  16. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  17. Where did you ________________ them?
  18. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  19. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  20. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  21. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  22. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  23. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  24. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.

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

Answer key

  1. pound — to hit hard
  2. safe — a strongbox
  3. safe — out of danger
  4. sharp — exactly
  5. bay — a horse colour
  6. mug — a face
  7. mug — a cup
  8. prune — to trim
  9. prune — to trim
  10. cabinet — ministers
  11. sharp — clever
  12. bay — a part of the sea
  13. cabinet — a cupboard
  14. safe — out of danger
  15. cabinet — ministers
  16. sharp — with an edge
  17. mug — to rob
  18. pound — a weight
  19. kick — a thrill
  20. kick — with a leg
  21. prune — the fruit
  22. bay — to keep at bay
  23. pound — for dogs
  24. kick — in football

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