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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. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  2. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  3. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  4. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  5. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  6. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  7. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  8. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  9. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  10. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  11. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  12. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  13. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  14. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  15. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  16. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  17. That was ________________ to happen.
  18. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  19. When will it ________________ you to start?
  20. He was locked up in a ________________.
  21. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  22. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  23. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  24. He hit the ball with his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cell — in biology
  2. pound — for dogs
  3. squash — to crush
  4. suit — clothes
  5. firm — steady
  6. squash — the vegetable
  7. racket — for tennis
  8. capital — a city
  9. squash — the sport
  10. bound — tied together
  11. suit — in cards
  12. racket — a loud noise
  13. capital — a big letter
  14. cell — a phone
  15. firm — a company
  16. firm — decided
  17. bound — certain
  18. pound — a weight
  19. suit — to fit
  20. cell — in a prison
  21. capital — money
  22. bound — obliged
  23. pound — to hit hard
  24. racket — for tennis

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