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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 120 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. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  3. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  4. David sat on the ________________.
  5. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  6. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  7. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  8. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  9. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  10. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  11. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  12. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  13. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  14. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  15. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  16. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  17. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  18. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  19. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  20. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  21. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  22. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  23. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  24. Hold the papers together with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pound — to hit hard
  2. racket — a loud noise
  3. racket — for tennis
  4. swing — to play on
  5. scale — size or range
  6. can — a tin
  7. swing — music
  8. scale — in music
  9. clip — to cut
  10. safe — out of danger
  11. clip — a video
  12. swing — in golf
  13. safe — a strongbox
  14. patient — calm and waiting
  15. patient — a sick person
  16. safe — out of danger
  17. can — a tin
  18. pound — for dogs
  19. patient — a sick person
  20. pound — a weight
  21. scale — for weighing
  22. racket — for tennis
  23. can — to be able to
  24. clip — for paper

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