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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. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  2. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  3. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  4. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  5. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  6. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  7. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  8. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  9. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  10. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  11. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  12. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  13. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  14. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  15. When will it ________________ you to start?
  16. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  17. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  18. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  19. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  20. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  21. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  22. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  23. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  24. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.

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

Answer key

  1. pound — for dogs
  2. firm — a company
  3. deal — a big deal
  4. rock — to move gently
  5. rock — music
  6. chair — a leader
  7. trunk — of a tree
  8. deal — to handle
  9. trunk — of an elephant
  10. rock — a stone
  11. wind — moving air
  12. chair — a professorship
  13. firm — decided
  14. wind — moving air
  15. suit — to fit
  16. suit — clothes
  17. deal — an agreement
  18. suit — in cards
  19. pound — to hit hard
  20. firm — steady
  21. trunk — of a car
  22. wind — to turn a key
  23. chair — to sit on
  24. pound — a weight

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