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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. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  2. That was a fun ________________.
  3. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  4. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  5. The light ________________ burned out.
  6. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  7. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  8. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  9. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  10. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  11. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  12. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  13. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  14. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  15. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  16. Did you ________________ the button?
  17. I've got to change the light ________________.
  18. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  19. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  20. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  21. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  22. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  23. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  24. I don't want to ________________ the boat.

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

Answer key

  1. pound — for dogs
  2. game — a match
  3. pound — to hit hard
  4. pass — to spend time
  5. bulb — for light
  6. pound — a weight
  7. row — a line
  8. rock — a stone
  9. pass — a permit
  10. pass — to succeed
  11. press — a publisher
  12. game — a kind of play
  13. bulb — of a plant
  14. net — after costs
  15. rock — music
  16. press — to push
  17. bulb — for light
  18. press — newspapers
  19. row — a quarrel
  20. net — for catching
  21. row — to paddle
  22. net — in sport
  23. game — wild animals
  24. rock — to move gently

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