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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. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  2. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  3. We're almost out of ________________.
  4. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  5. You don't need to ________________ round.
  6. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  7. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  8. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  9. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  10. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  11. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  12. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  13. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  14. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  15. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  16. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  17. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  18. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  19. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  20. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  21. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  22. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  23. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  24. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.

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

Answer key

  1. pound — a weight
  2. trunk — of a car
  3. pop — soda
  4. pop — music
  5. pop — to visit
  6. firm — a company
  7. firm — decided
  8. trunk — of a tree
  9. trunk — of an elephant
  10. stick — to attach or keep to
  11. firm — steady
  12. pound — to hit hard
  13. fall — to drop
  14. calf — of the leg
  15. stick — a piece of wood
  16. cue — a hint
  17. stick — a piece of wood
  18. pound — for dogs
  19. cue — a signal
  20. calf — a young animal
  21. fall — the season
  22. cue — for pool
  23. calf — a young animal
  24. fall — to drop

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