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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. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  2. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  3. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  4. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  5. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  6. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  7. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  8. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  9. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  10. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  11. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  12. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  13. How do you ________________ your surname?
  14. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  15. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  16. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  17. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  18. My father caught me by the ________________.
  19. What do you think of the new ________________?
  20. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  21. Have you met the new head ________________?
  22. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  23. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  24. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — a company
  2. mouse — the animal
  3. pound — to hit hard
  4. spell — magic
  5. firm — steady
  6. cabinet — ministers
  7. coach — a trainer
  8. cabinet — a cupboard
  9. degree — temperature
  10. degree — an amount
  11. spell — a short time
  12. mouse — for a computer
  13. spell — letters
  14. firm — decided
  15. arm — a part of something
  16. mouse — the animal
  17. coach — pulled by horses
  18. arm — part of the body
  19. cabinet — ministers
  20. pound — a weight
  21. coach — a trainer
  22. arm — part of the body
  23. degree — from a university
  24. pound — for dogs

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