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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. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  2. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  3. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  4. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  5. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  6. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  7. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  8. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  9. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  10. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  11. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  12. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  13. David sat on the ________________.
  14. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  15. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  16. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  17. The ________________ went through the wall.
  18. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  19. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  20. The King held a masked ________________.
  21. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  22. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  23. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  24. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.

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

Answer key

  1. pound — to hit hard
  2. cue — a hint
  3. rock — music
  4. wake — to stop sleeping
  5. ball — a round shape
  6. jam — in traffic
  7. swing — in golf
  8. cue — for pool
  9. rock — to move gently
  10. jam — to spread on bread
  11. cue — a signal
  12. pound — a weight
  13. swing — to play on
  14. wake — before a funeral
  15. ball — a great time
  16. nail — for a hammer
  17. nail — for a hammer
  18. wake — a trail
  19. swing — music
  20. ball — a dance
  21. rock — a stone
  22. pound — for dogs
  23. jam — a tight spot
  24. nail — on a finger

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