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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. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  2. He works in a ________________ mill.
  3. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  4. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  5. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  6. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  7. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  8. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  9. That was a fun ________________.
  10. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  11. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  12. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  13. That must've been a ________________.
  14. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  15. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  16. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  17. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  18. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  19. The King held a masked ________________.
  20. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  21. She's very handy with a ________________.
  22. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  23. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  24. Take your time. There's no ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. staff — employees
  2. saw — the tool
  3. firm — a company
  4. net — for catching
  5. pound — to hit hard
  6. net — after costs
  7. pound — for dogs
  8. ball — a great time
  9. game — a match
  10. net — in sport
  11. firm — decided
  12. rush — to hurry
  13. rush — a thrill
  14. game — wild animals
  15. saw — past of 'see'
  16. firm — steady
  17. staff — employees
  18. pound — a weight
  19. ball — a dance
  20. ball — a round shape
  21. saw — the tool
  22. game — a kind of play
  23. staff — a stick
  24. rush — hurry

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