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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. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  3. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  4. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  5. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  6. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  7. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  8. Where did you ________________ them?
  9. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  10. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  11. When will it ________________ you to start?
  12. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  13. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  14. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  15. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  16. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  17. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  18. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  19. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  20. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  21. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  22. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  23. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  24. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pound — to hit hard
  2. wound — an injury
  3. craft — a handicraft
  4. chair — a professorship
  5. suit — clothes
  6. mark — a grade
  7. mark — to pay attention
  8. mug — to rob
  9. wound — an injury
  10. content — happy
  11. suit — to fit
  12. suit — in cards
  13. content — the amount
  14. craft — a skill
  15. mark — a trace
  16. mug — a face
  17. chair — to sit on
  18. chair — a leader
  19. pound — a weight
  20. mug — a cup
  21. craft — boats
  22. wound — past of 'wind'
  23. pound — for dogs
  24. content — videos and posts

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