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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. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  2. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  3. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  4. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  5. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  6. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  7. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  8. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  9. David sat on the ________________.
  10. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  11. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  12. The King held a masked ________________.
  13. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  14. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  15. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  16. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  17. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  18. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  19. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  20. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  21. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  22. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  23. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  24. She had a strange look on her ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pound — for dogs
  2. stick — a piece of wood
  3. face — to point toward
  4. bowl — a football final
  5. pound — to hit hard
  6. bowl — a dish
  7. mark — a trace
  8. mark — to pay attention
  9. swing — to play on
  10. ball — a great time
  11. stick — a piece of wood
  12. ball — a dance
  13. drill — army training
  14. swing — in golf
  15. mark — a grade
  16. swing — music
  17. drill — the tool
  18. stick — to attach or keep to
  19. face — to confront
  20. pound — a weight
  21. drill — a practice
  22. ball — a round shape
  23. bowl — to roll
  24. face — part of the head

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