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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. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  2. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  3. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  4. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  5. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  6. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  7. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  8. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  9. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  10. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  11. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  12. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  13. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  14. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  15. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  16. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  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. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  20. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  21. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  22. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  23. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  24. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?

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

Answer key

  1. rock — to move gently
  2. firm — decided
  3. pound — for dogs
  4. rock — a stone
  5. bear — to put up with
  6. rule — government
  7. degree — from a university
  8. firm — steady
  9. safe — out of danger
  10. safe — a strongbox
  11. squash — to crush
  12. firm — a company
  13. rule — a law
  14. pound — a weight
  15. bear — the animal
  16. bear — the animal
  17. pound — to hit hard
  18. degree — temperature
  19. rock — music
  20. squash — the vegetable
  21. squash — the sport
  22. safe — out of danger
  23. rule — to rule out
  24. degree — an amount

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