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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 120 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. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  2. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  3. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  4. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  5. David sat on the ________________.
  6. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  7. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  8. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  9. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  10. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  11. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  12. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  13. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  14. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  15. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  16. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  17. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  18. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  19. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  20. There's no middle ________________.
  21. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  22. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  23. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  24. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pound — a weight
  2. firm — steady
  3. leaves — lets stay
  4. bass — the fish
  5. swing — to play on
  6. ground — crushed
  7. bass — the instrument
  8. ground — the earth
  9. staff — employees
  10. bass — low music
  11. swing — music
  12. staff — employees
  13. pound — to hit hard
  14. bear — the animal
  15. staff — a stick
  16. bear — to put up with
  17. bear — the animal
  18. leaves — to go away
  19. leaves — of a tree
  20. ground — a position
  21. firm — decided
  22. pound — for dogs
  23. swing — in golf
  24. firm — a company

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