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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. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  3. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  4. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  5. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  6. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  7. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  8. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  9. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  10. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  11. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  12. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  13. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  14. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  15. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  16. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  17. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  18. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  19. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  20. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  21. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  22. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  23. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  24. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.

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

Answer key

  1. pound — for dogs
  2. staff — a stick
  3. scale — in music
  4. staff — employees
  5. present — there
  6. present — a gift
  7. bear — to put up with
  8. pound — a weight
  9. prune — to trim
  10. scale — for weighing
  11. prune — to trim
  12. pound — to hit hard
  13. wave — of the sea
  14. scale — size or range
  15. pitch — a sales talk
  16. bear — the animal
  17. pitch — completely
  18. wave — a sudden rise
  19. bear — the animal
  20. prune — the fruit
  21. wave — with your hand
  22. present — the time now
  23. pitch — a sports field
  24. staff — employees

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