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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. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  2. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  3. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  4. It's one o'clock ________________.
  5. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  6. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  7. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  8. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  9. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  10. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  11. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  12. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  13. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  14. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  15. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  16. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  17. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  18. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  19. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  20. I'll be taking the ________________.
  21. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  22. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  23. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  24. Have you met the new head ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. pound — for dogs
  2. row — to paddle
  3. row — a quarrel
  4. sharp — exactly
  5. mouse — for a computer
  6. sharp — clever
  7. content — videos and posts
  8. lean — to bend
  9. tube — a container
  10. coach — pulled by horses
  11. pound — to hit hard
  12. row — a line
  13. coach — a trainer
  14. lean — thin
  15. lean — to rest against
  16. mouse — the animal
  17. tube — in a tire
  18. sharp — with an edge
  19. content — happy
  20. tube — the underground
  21. pound — a weight
  22. content — the amount
  23. mouse — the animal
  24. coach — a trainer

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