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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 hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  2. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  3. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  4. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  5. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  6. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  7. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  8. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  9. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  10. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  11. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  12. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  13. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  14. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  15. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  16. We're almost out of ________________.
  17. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  18. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  19. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  20. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  21. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  22. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  23. You don't need to ________________ round.
  24. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — to recline
  2. object — an aim
  3. bat — the animal
  4. lie — an untruth
  5. club — a group
  6. degree — from a university
  7. lie — an untruth
  8. present — a gift
  9. degree — an amount
  10. bat — in an idiom
  11. pound — for dogs
  12. object — a thing
  13. pound — a weight
  14. bat — for baseball
  15. club — for golf
  16. pop — soda
  17. pound — to hit hard
  18. degree — temperature
  19. object — to protest
  20. present — the time now
  21. present — there
  22. club — for dancing
  23. pop — to visit
  24. pop — music

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