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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. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  2. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  3. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  4. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  5. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  6. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  7. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  8. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  9. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  10. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  11. I'll be taking the ________________.
  12. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  13. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  14. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  15. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  16. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  17. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  18. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  19. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  20. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  21. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  22. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  23. The King held a masked ________________.
  24. He is an ace ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pound — to hit hard
  2. ball — a great time
  3. scale — for weighing
  4. chair — to sit on
  5. scale — size or range
  6. safe — a strongbox
  7. pitcher — a jug
  8. safe — out of danger
  9. chair — a leader
  10. rule — a law
  11. tube — the underground
  12. pound — a weight
  13. rule — government
  14. scale — in music
  15. ball — a round shape
  16. pitcher — a jug
  17. tube — in a tire
  18. pound — for dogs
  19. rule — to rule out
  20. safe — out of danger
  21. chair — a professorship
  22. tube — a container
  23. ball — a dance
  24. pitcher — in baseball

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