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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. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  3. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  4. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  5. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  6. False peace will not ________________.
  7. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  8. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  9. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  10. The ball is in your ________________.
  11. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  12. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  13. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  14. The ________________ took off on time.
  15. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  16. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  17. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  18. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  19. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  20. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  21. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  22. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  23. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  24. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pound — a weight
  2. wave — with your hand
  3. pound — to hit hard
  4. court — of a king
  5. plane — a tool
  6. last — to go on
  7. court — of law
  8. last — finally
  9. calf — of the leg
  10. court — for sport
  11. pound — for dogs
  12. straw — a straw man
  13. wave — a sudden rise
  14. plane — an aircraft
  15. wave — of the sea
  16. toast — bread
  17. last — final
  18. toast — a drink to someone
  19. calf — a young animal
  20. plane — in geometry
  21. straw — to clutch at straws
  22. calf — a young animal
  23. toast — the most admired
  24. straw — dry grass

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