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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. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  2. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  3. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  4. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  5. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  6. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  7. It's one o'clock ________________.
  8. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  9. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  10. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  11. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  12. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  13. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  14. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  15. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  16. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  17. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  18. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  19. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  20. That was ________________ to happen.
  21. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  22. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  23. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  24. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.

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

Answer key

  1. staff — a stick
  2. bound — tied together
  3. pitch — a sales talk
  4. pound — for dogs
  5. stem — a stem cell
  6. object — a thing
  7. sharp — exactly
  8. pitch — a sports field
  9. object — an aim
  10. pound — a weight
  11. wave — of the sea
  12. stem — of a plant
  13. staff — employees
  14. staff — employees
  15. pound — to hit hard
  16. bound — obliged
  17. object — to protest
  18. stem — to come from
  19. wave — with your hand
  20. bound — certain
  21. sharp — clever
  22. sharp — with an edge
  23. pitch — completely
  24. wave — a sudden rise

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