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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. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  2. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  3. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  4. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  5. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  6. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  7. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  8. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  9. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  10. Have you met the new head ________________?
  11. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  12. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  13. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  14. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  15. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  16. How do you ________________ your surname?
  17. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  18. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  19. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  20. I'll be taking the ________________.
  21. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  22. When are we going to ________________?
  23. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  24. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. land — ground
  2. spell — a short time
  3. fall — to drop
  4. firm — steady
  5. fall — the season
  6. coach — pulled by horses
  7. spell — magic
  8. firm — decided
  9. mouse — the animal
  10. coach — a trainer
  11. coach — a trainer
  12. tube — a container
  13. fall — to drop
  14. tube — in a tire
  15. pound — for dogs
  16. spell — letters
  17. mouse — the animal
  18. mouse — for a computer
  19. land — a country
  20. tube — the underground
  21. pound — a weight
  22. land — to come down
  23. pound — to hit hard
  24. firm — a company

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