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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. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  2. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  3. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  4. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  5. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  6. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  7. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  8. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  9. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  10. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  11. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  12. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  13. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  14. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  15. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  16. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  17. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  18. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  19. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  20. My father caught me by the ________________.
  21. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  22. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  23. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  24. Have you found your soul ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. stick — a piece of wood
  2. pound — for dogs
  3. stick — to attach or keep to
  4. cap — a lid
  5. trunk — of an elephant
  6. pitch — a sales talk
  7. cap — a hat
  8. trunk — of a tree
  9. firm — decided
  10. cap — of ice
  11. pound — to hit hard
  12. pound — a weight
  13. firm — a company
  14. mate — to breed
  15. trunk — of a car
  16. firm — steady
  17. arm — a part of something
  18. pitch — a sports field
  19. mate — a friend
  20. arm — part of the body
  21. arm — part of the body
  22. stick — a piece of wood
  23. pitch — completely
  24. mate — a partner

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