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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. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  2. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  3. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  4. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  5. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  6. Don't do anything ________________.
  7. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  8. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  9. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  10. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  11. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  12. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  13. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  14. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  15. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  16. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  17. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  18. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  19. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  20. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  21. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  22. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  23. Have you found your soul ________________?
  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. pound — to hit hard
  2. mouse — for a computer
  3. capital — a city
  4. craft — a skill
  5. craft — a handicraft
  6. rash — hasty
  7. mate — a friend
  8. capital — a big letter
  9. capital — money
  10. pound — a weight
  11. lean — thin
  12. mouse — the animal
  13. lean — to rest against
  14. craft — boats
  15. rash — a series
  16. firm — steady
  17. mouse — the animal
  18. lean — to bend
  19. firm — a company
  20. firm — decided
  21. rash — on the skin
  22. mate — to breed
  23. mate — a partner
  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