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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. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  2. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  3. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  4. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  5. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  6. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  7. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  8. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  9. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  10. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  11. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  12. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  13. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  14. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  15. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  16. The King held a masked ________________.
  17. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  18. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  19. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  20. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  21. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  22. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  23. I'll be taking the ________________.
  24. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.

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

Answer key

  1. pound — a weight
  2. ball — a great time
  3. scale — size or range
  4. tube — in a tire
  5. degree — from a university
  6. mark — a grade
  7. scale — for weighing
  8. tube — a container
  9. pound — to hit hard
  10. pound — for dogs
  11. pit — in a race
  12. degree — an amount
  13. mark — a trace
  14. pit — a fruit stone
  15. bore — gave birth
  16. ball — a dance
  17. scale — in music
  18. bore — to drill
  19. pit — a hole
  20. bore — to tire
  21. degree — temperature
  22. ball — a round shape
  23. tube — the underground
  24. mark — to pay attention

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