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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 116 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. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  3. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  4. He works in a ________________ mill.
  5. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  6. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  7. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  8. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  9. The ________________ went through the wall.
  10. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  11. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  12. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  13. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  14. Have you met the new head ________________?
  15. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  16. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  17. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  18. How do you ________________ your surname?
  19. She's very handy with a ________________.
  20. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  21. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  22. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  23. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  24. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?

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

Answer key

  1. pound — a weight
  2. spell — a short time
  3. pound — to hit hard
  4. saw — the tool
  5. nail — for a hammer
  6. squash — the sport
  7. pound — for dogs
  8. nail — on a finger
  9. nail — for a hammer
  10. bowl — to roll
  11. bowl — a dish
  12. saw — past of 'see'
  13. spell — magic
  14. coach — a trainer
  15. squash — to crush
  16. coach — a trainer
  17. firm — steady
  18. spell — letters
  19. saw — the tool
  20. squash — the vegetable
  21. firm — a company
  22. firm — decided
  23. bowl — a football final
  24. coach — pulled by horses

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