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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. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  2. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  3. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  4. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  5. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  6. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  7. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  8. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  9. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  10. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  11. She's very handy with a ________________.
  12. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  13. Did you ________________ the button?
  14. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  15. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  16. The ________________ market has crashed.
  17. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  18. He works in a ________________ mill.
  19. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  20. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  21. I'll be taking the ________________.
  22. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  23. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  24. What's the difference between broth and ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. wake — a trail
  2. pound — a weight
  3. press — newspapers
  4. pound — for dogs
  5. tube — a container
  6. calf — a young animal
  7. wake — before a funeral
  8. bass — the instrument
  9. stock — goods
  10. calf — a young animal
  11. saw — the tool
  12. tube — in a tire
  13. press — to push
  14. pound — to hit hard
  15. bass — the fish
  16. stock — shares
  17. calf — of the leg
  18. saw — the tool
  19. bass — low music
  20. press — a publisher
  21. tube — the underground
  22. wake — to stop sleeping
  23. saw — past of 'see'
  24. stock — a soup base

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