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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. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  2. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  3. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  4. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  5. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  6. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  7. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  8. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  9. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  10. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  11. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  12. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  13. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  14. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  15. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  16. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  17. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  18. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  19. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  20. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  21. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  22. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  23. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  24. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — to pay attention
  2. foot — the bottom
  3. pound — to hit hard
  4. drill — a practice
  5. stick — to attach or keep to
  6. stick — a piece of wood
  7. pound — for dogs
  8. foot — part of the body
  9. stick — a piece of wood
  10. foot — a measure
  11. drill — army training
  12. can — a tin
  13. rock — music
  14. drill — the tool
  15. content — videos and posts
  16. can — to be able to
  17. rock — to move gently
  18. mark — a trace
  19. mark — a grade
  20. rock — a stone
  21. content — the amount
  22. content — happy
  23. pound — a weight
  24. can — a tin

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