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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. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  2. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  3. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  4. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  5. You don't need to ________________ round.
  6. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  7. When will it ________________ you to start?
  8. Have you met the new head ________________?
  9. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  10. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  11. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  12. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  13. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  14. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  15. That was a fun ________________.
  16. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  17. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  18. That must've been a ________________.
  19. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  20. We're almost out of ________________.
  21. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  22. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  23. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  24. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pound — a weight
  2. suit — clothes
  3. fine — high quality
  4. rush — to hurry
  5. pop — to visit
  6. game — a kind of play
  7. suit — to fit
  8. coach — a trainer
  9. rush — hurry
  10. fine — all right
  11. pitch — a sports field
  12. pitch — completely
  13. coach — a trainer
  14. pound — for dogs
  15. game — a match
  16. pitch — a sales talk
  17. coach — pulled by horses
  18. rush — a thrill
  19. fine — a penalty
  20. pop — soda
  21. pound — to hit hard
  22. pop — music
  23. suit — in cards
  24. game — wild animals

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