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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. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  2. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  3. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  4. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  5. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  6. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  7. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  8. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  9. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  10. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  11. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  12. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  13. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  14. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  15. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  16. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  17. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  18. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  19. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  20. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  21. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  22. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  23. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  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. hide — animal skin
  2. pound — a weight
  3. wind — moving air
  4. pound — to hit hard
  5. staff — employees
  6. chair — a leader
  7. firm — decided
  8. cue — a hint
  9. chair — to sit on
  10. firm — a company
  11. pound — for dogs
  12. chip — for betting
  13. staff — employees
  14. wind — moving air
  15. chip — in a computer
  16. cue — a signal
  17. chip — to eat
  18. wind — to turn a key
  19. firm — steady
  20. hide — to keep secret
  21. cue — for pool
  22. hide — to keep secret
  23. chair — a professorship
  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