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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. That must've been a ________________.
  2. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  3. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  4. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  5. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  6. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  7. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  8. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  9. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  10. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  11. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  12. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  13. David sat on the ________________.
  14. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  15. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  16. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  17. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  18. He is an ace ________________.
  19. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  20. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  21. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  22. The ________________ took off on time.
  23. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  24. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.

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

Answer key

  1. rush — a thrill
  2. firm — a company
  3. pound — for dogs
  4. pitcher — a jug
  5. fine — all right
  6. swing — in golf
  7. pitcher — a jug
  8. pound — to hit hard
  9. can — to be able to
  10. firm — steady
  11. fine — a penalty
  12. plane — a tool
  13. swing — to play on
  14. firm — decided
  15. fine — high quality
  16. rush — to hurry
  17. can — a tin
  18. pitcher — in baseball
  19. plane — in geometry
  20. can — a tin
  21. pound — a weight
  22. plane — an aircraft
  23. rush — hurry
  24. swing — music

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