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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. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  2. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  3. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  4. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  5. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  6. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  7. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  8. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  9. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  10. Don't do anything ________________.
  11. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  12. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  13. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  14. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  15. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  16. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  17. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  18. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  19. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  20. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  21. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  22. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  23. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  24. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — a company
  2. toast — bread
  3. toast — the most admired
  4. firm — decided
  5. net — in sport
  6. pound — a weight
  7. current — electric
  8. calf — a young animal
  9. firm — steady
  10. rash — hasty
  11. field — for sport
  12. calf — a young animal
  13. rash — a series
  14. current — of water
  15. rash — on the skin
  16. net — after costs
  17. net — for catching
  18. current — happening now
  19. pound — for dogs
  20. calf — of the leg
  21. toast — a drink to someone
  22. field — a subject
  23. pound — to hit hard
  24. field — farmland

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