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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. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  2. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  3. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  4. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  5. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  6. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  7. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  8. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  9. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  10. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  11. There's no middle ________________.
  12. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  13. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  14. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  15. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  16. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  17. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  18. When will it ________________ you to start?
  19. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  20. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  21. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  22. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  23. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  24. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — clothes
  2. ground — the earth
  3. bowl — a football final
  4. firm — steady
  5. pound — for dogs
  6. band — a rubber band
  7. bowl — a dish
  8. firm — a company
  9. pound — a weight
  10. shower — rain
  11. ground — a position
  12. ground — crushed
  13. root — the cause
  14. bowl — to roll
  15. band — a music group
  16. shower — a meteor shower
  17. band — a ring
  18. suit — to fit
  19. shower — to wash
  20. firm — decided
  21. root — of a word
  22. pound — to hit hard
  23. root — of a plant
  24. suit — in cards

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