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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. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  3. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  4. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  5. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  6. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  7. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  8. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  9. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  10. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  11. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  12. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  13. Where did you ________________ them?
  14. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  15. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  16. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  17. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  18. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  19. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  20. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  21. Have you met the new head ________________?
  22. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  23. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  24. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pound — a weight
  2. staff — employees
  3. coach — a trainer
  4. stick — a piece of wood
  5. pass — to succeed
  6. coach — pulled by horses
  7. bear — the animal
  8. stick — to attach or keep to
  9. degree — temperature
  10. degree — an amount
  11. staff — a stick
  12. mug — a face
  13. mug — to rob
  14. staff — employees
  15. pass — a permit
  16. pound — to hit hard
  17. pass — to spend time
  18. bear — the animal
  19. pound — for dogs
  20. mug — a cup
  21. coach — a trainer
  22. degree — from a university
  23. bear — to put up with
  24. stick — a piece of wood

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