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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. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  3. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  4. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  5. You don't need to ________________ round.
  6. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  7. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  8. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  9. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  10. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  11. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  12. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  13. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  14. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  15. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  16. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  17. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  18. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  19. We're almost out of ________________.
  20. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  21. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  22. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  23. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  24. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.

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

Answer key

  1. pound — for dogs
  2. file — a line of people
  3. staff — employees
  4. club — for dancing
  5. pop — to visit
  6. staff — a stick
  7. fork — a garden tool
  8. fork — to eat with
  9. rest — what's left
  10. pound — to hit hard
  11. file — a tool
  12. fork — in a road
  13. racket — for tennis
  14. staff — employees
  15. racket — a loud noise
  16. rest — a break
  17. club — a group
  18. club — for golf
  19. pop — soda
  20. file — a document
  21. racket — for tennis
  22. rest — what's left
  23. pop — music
  24. pound — a weight

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