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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. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  2. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  3. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  4. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  5. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  6. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  7. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  8. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  9. The ball is in your ________________.
  10. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  11. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  12. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  13. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  14. Have you found your soul ________________?
  15. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  16. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  17. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  18. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  19. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  20. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  21. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  22. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  23. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  24. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?

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

Answer key

  1. firm — decided
  2. cue — a hint
  3. pound — a weight
  4. rock — to move gently
  5. firm — a company
  6. prune — to trim
  7. court — of law
  8. firm — steady
  9. court — for sport
  10. cue — for pool
  11. capital — a big letter
  12. capital — money
  13. court — of a king
  14. mate — a partner
  15. rock — a stone
  16. pound — to hit hard
  17. prune — to trim
  18. prune — the fruit
  19. pound — for dogs
  20. cue — a signal
  21. mate — to breed
  22. capital — a city
  23. rock — music
  24. mate — a friend

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