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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. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  2. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  3. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  4. What do you think of the new ________________?
  5. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  6. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  7. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  8. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  9. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  10. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  11. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  12. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  13. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  14. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  15. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  16. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  17. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  18. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  19. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  20. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  21. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  22. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  23. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  24. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.

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

Answer key

  1. drill — a practice
  2. present — there
  3. pound — a weight
  4. cabinet — ministers
  5. pound — to hit hard
  6. present — a gift
  7. cabinet — a cupboard
  8. toast — bread
  9. scale — for weighing
  10. scale — size or range
  11. lean — to rest against
  12. lean — thin
  13. toast — the most admired
  14. scale — in music
  15. present — the time now
  16. toast — a drink to someone
  17. rest — what's left
  18. rest — a break
  19. lean — to bend
  20. cabinet — ministers
  21. drill — the tool
  22. drill — army training
  23. rest — what's left
  24. pound — for dogs

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