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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. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  2. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  3. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  4. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  5. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  6. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  7. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  8. That was a fun ________________.
  9. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  10. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  11. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  12. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  13. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  14. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  15. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  16. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  17. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  18. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  19. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  20. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  21. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  22. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  23. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  24. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.

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

Answer key

  1. pound — to hit hard
  2. lash — a whip stroke
  3. field — farmland
  4. cue — for pool
  5. pound — a weight
  6. safe — out of danger
  7. safe — out of danger
  8. game — a match
  9. stick — to attach or keep to
  10. field — a subject
  11. firm — steady
  12. pound — for dogs
  13. safe — a strongbox
  14. lash — to lash out
  15. firm — a company
  16. stick — a piece of wood
  17. game — wild animals
  18. stick — a piece of wood
  19. field — for sport
  20. game — a kind of play
  21. firm — decided
  22. cue — a hint
  23. lash — an eyelash
  24. cue — a signal

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