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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. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  2. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  3. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  4. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  5. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  6. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  7. It's one o'clock ________________.
  8. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  9. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  10. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  11. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  12. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  13. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  14. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  15. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  16. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  17. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  18. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  19. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  20. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  21. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  22. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  23. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  24. The old man leaned on his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. staff — employees
  2. lie — to recline
  3. pound — for dogs
  4. sharp — clever
  5. calf — of the leg
  6. rock — a stone
  7. sharp — exactly
  8. calf — a young animal
  9. pound — a weight
  10. rock — music
  11. can — a tin
  12. rock — to move gently
  13. sharp — with an edge
  14. lie — an untruth
  15. can — a tin
  16. can — to be able to
  17. lie — an untruth
  18. pound — to hit hard
  19. staff — employees
  20. present — a gift
  21. present — there
  22. present — the time now
  23. calf — a young animal
  24. staff — a stick

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