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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. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  2. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  3. That must've been a ________________.
  4. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  5. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  6. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  7. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  8. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  9. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  10. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  11. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  12. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  13. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  14. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  15. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  16. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  17. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  18. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  19. Have you found your soul ________________?
  20. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  21. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  22. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  23. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  24. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — an agreement
  2. pound — for dogs
  3. rush — a thrill
  4. patient — calm and waiting
  5. pound — to hit hard
  6. rush — to hurry
  7. file — a line of people
  8. pound — a weight
  9. deal — a big deal
  10. lie — to recline
  11. lie — an untruth
  12. mate — to breed
  13. lie — an untruth
  14. mate — a friend
  15. patient — a sick person
  16. file — a document
  17. firm — decided
  18. file — a tool
  19. mate — a partner
  20. patient — a sick person
  21. deal — to handle
  22. firm — steady
  23. rush — hurry
  24. firm — a company

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