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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 lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  3. The light ________________ burned out.
  4. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  5. Where did you ________________ them?
  6. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  7. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  8. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  9. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  10. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  11. I've got to change the light ________________.
  12. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  13. She's very handy with a ________________.
  14. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  15. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  16. He works in a ________________ mill.
  17. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  18. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  19. What do you think of the new ________________?
  20. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  21. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  22. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  23. When will it ________________ you to start?
  24. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pound — for dogs
  2. chest — a box
  3. bulb — for light
  4. pound — to hit hard
  5. mug — to rob
  6. chest — of your body
  7. mug — a cup
  8. saw — past of 'see'
  9. pitch — a sales talk
  10. pitch — completely
  11. bulb — for light
  12. pound — a weight
  13. saw — the tool
  14. cabinet — ministers
  15. suit — in cards
  16. saw — the tool
  17. mug — a face
  18. chest — of your body
  19. cabinet — ministers
  20. bulb — of a plant
  21. suit — clothes
  22. pitch — a sports field
  23. suit — to fit
  24. cabinet — a cupboard

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