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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. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  2. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  3. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  4. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  5. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  6. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  7. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  8. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  9. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  10. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  11. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  12. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  13. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  14. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  15. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  16. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  17. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  18. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  19. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  20. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  21. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  22. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  23. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  24. He keeps ________________ of his days.

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

Answer key

  1. fine — a penalty
  2. bat — in an idiom
  3. pound — a weight
  4. object — a thing
  5. staff — employees
  6. track — a song
  7. calf — of the leg
  8. object — to protest
  9. bat — the animal
  10. staff — a stick
  11. fine — high quality
  12. fine — all right
  13. track — a path
  14. calf — a young animal
  15. staff — employees
  16. pound — for dogs
  17. cue — for pool
  18. bat — for baseball
  19. cue — a signal
  20. pound — to hit hard
  21. object — an aim
  22. cue — a hint
  23. calf — a young animal
  24. track — to keep track

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