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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 120 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. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  3. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  4. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  5. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  6. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  7. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  8. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  9. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  10. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  11. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  12. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  13. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  14. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  15. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  16. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  17. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  18. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  19. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  20. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  21. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  22. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  23. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  24. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.

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

Answer key

  1. pound — to hit hard
  2. pound — a weight
  3. vault — an arched ceiling
  4. foot — the bottom
  5. chair — to sit on
  6. chair — a professorship
  7. foot — part of the body
  8. track — a song
  9. perch — for a bird
  10. vault — a safe
  11. bowl — a dish
  12. track — to keep track
  13. bowl — to roll
  14. foot — a measure
  15. chair — a leader
  16. pound — for dogs
  17. vault — in gymnastics
  18. perch — the fish
  19. fork — a garden tool
  20. track — a path
  21. perch — for a bird
  22. fork — in a road
  23. bowl — a football final
  24. fork — to eat with

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