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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. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  2. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  3. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  4. We're on a ________________ here.
  5. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  6. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  7. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  8. Did you ________________ the button?
  9. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  10. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  11. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  12. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  13. When will it ________________ you to start?
  14. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  15. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  16. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  17. The King held a masked ________________.
  18. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  19. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  20. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  21. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  22. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  23. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  24. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pound — a weight
  2. pound — for dogs
  3. kick — in football
  4. roll — on a roll
  5. hide — animal skin
  6. pound — to hit hard
  7. kick — with a leg
  8. press — to push
  9. perch — for a bird
  10. ball — a great time
  11. press — a publisher
  12. roll — a list
  13. suit — to fit
  14. perch — the fish
  15. kick — a thrill
  16. hide — to keep secret
  17. ball — a dance
  18. press — newspapers
  19. suit — clothes
  20. hide — to keep secret
  21. ball — a round shape
  22. roll — a cake
  23. suit — in cards
  24. perch — for a bird

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