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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. He is an ace ________________.
  2. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  3. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  4. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  5. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  6. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  7. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  8. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  9. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  10. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  11. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  12. How do you ________________ your surname?
  13. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  14. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  15. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  16. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  17. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  18. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  19. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  20. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  21. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  22. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  23. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  24. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pitcher — in baseball
  2. pound — for dogs
  3. staff — a stick
  4. pound — to hit hard
  5. pitcher — a jug
  6. spell — a short time
  7. staff — employees
  8. craft — a handicraft
  9. craft — boats
  10. track — a song
  11. firm — steady
  12. spell — letters
  13. firm — a company
  14. craft — a skill
  15. firm — decided
  16. spell — magic
  17. pitcher — a jug
  18. staff — employees
  19. track — a path
  20. pound — a weight
  21. club — a group
  22. track — to keep track
  23. club — for dancing
  24. club — for golf

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