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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. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  2. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  3. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  4. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  5. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  6. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  7. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  8. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  9. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  10. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  11. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  12. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  13. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  14. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  15. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  16. The ________________ went through the wall.
  17. What do you think of the new ________________?
  18. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  19. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  20. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  21. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  22. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  23. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  24. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.

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

Answer key

  1. pound — for dogs
  2. pound — to hit hard
  3. wake — a trail
  4. safe — out of danger
  5. wake — before a funeral
  6. safe — a strongbox
  7. club — a group
  8. nail — for a hammer
  9. cabinet — a cupboard
  10. mine — an explosive
  11. degree — temperature
  12. pound — a weight
  13. cabinet — ministers
  14. club — for dancing
  15. safe — out of danger
  16. nail — for a hammer
  17. cabinet — ministers
  18. club — for golf
  19. mine — for digging
  20. degree — from a university
  21. nail — on a finger
  22. degree — an amount
  23. mine — belonging to me
  24. wake — to stop sleeping

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