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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. David sat on the ________________.
  2. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  3. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  4. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  5. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  6. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  7. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  8. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  9. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  10. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  11. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  12. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  13. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  14. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  15. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  16. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  17. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  18. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  19. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  20. When will it ________________ you to start?
  21. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  22. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  23. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  24. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.

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

Answer key

  1. swing — to play on
  2. firm — decided
  3. suit — clothes
  4. pound — a weight
  5. mine — belonging to me
  6. can — a tin
  7. calf — of the leg
  8. firm — a company
  9. firm — steady
  10. pound — for dogs
  11. calf — a young animal
  12. mine — an explosive
  13. calf — a young animal
  14. straw — to clutch at straws
  15. suit — in cards
  16. can — to be able to
  17. swing — music
  18. can — a tin
  19. straw — a straw man
  20. suit — to fit
  21. swing — in golf
  22. straw — dry grass
  23. mine — for digging
  24. pound — to hit hard

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