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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. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  2. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  3. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  4. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  5. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  6. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  7. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  8. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  9. The King held a masked ________________.
  10. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  11. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  12. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  13. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  14. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  15. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  16. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  17. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  18. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  19. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  20. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  21. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  22. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  23. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  24. When will it ________________ you to start?

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

Answer key

  1. pound — for dogs
  2. pound — a weight
  3. present — the time now
  4. fine — a penalty
  5. fine — all right
  6. ball — a great time
  7. wind — moving air
  8. deal — to handle
  9. ball — a dance
  10. suit — in cards
  11. deal — a big deal
  12. prune — to trim
  13. prune — to trim
  14. fine — high quality
  15. deal — an agreement
  16. suit — clothes
  17. present — a gift
  18. ball — a round shape
  19. prune — the fruit
  20. wind — to turn a key
  21. present — there
  22. pound — to hit hard
  23. wind — moving air
  24. suit — to fit

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