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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. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  2. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  3. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  4. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  5. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  6. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  7. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  8. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  9. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  10. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  11. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  12. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  13. Have you met the new head ________________?
  14. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  15. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  16. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  17. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  18. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  19. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  20. What do you think of the new ________________?
  21. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  22. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  23. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  24. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.

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

Answer key

  1. coach — pulled by horses
  2. pound — for dogs
  3. present — a gift
  4. calf — of the leg
  5. pound — to hit hard
  6. wind — moving air
  7. cabinet — ministers
  8. mouse — the animal
  9. mouse — for a computer
  10. club — a group
  11. coach — a trainer
  12. calf — a young animal
  13. coach — a trainer
  14. wind — to turn a key
  15. pound — a weight
  16. club — for dancing
  17. calf — a young animal
  18. mouse — the animal
  19. present — the time now
  20. cabinet — ministers
  21. club — for golf
  22. cabinet — a cupboard
  23. wind — moving air
  24. present — there

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