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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 116 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. The ________________ went through the wall.
  3. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  4. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  5. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  6. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  7. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  8. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  9. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  10. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  11. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  12. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  13. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  14. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  15. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  16. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  17. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  18. Don't do anything ________________.
  19. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  20. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  21. Have you met the new head ________________?
  22. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  23. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  24. ________________ you help me carry this box?

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

Answer key

  1. pound — for dogs
  2. nail — for a hammer
  3. can — a tin
  4. coach — pulled by horses
  5. racket — for tennis
  6. racket — for tennis
  7. staff — employees
  8. staff — employees
  9. coach — a trainer
  10. can — a tin
  11. staff — a stick
  12. bark — to shout
  13. nail — for a hammer
  14. racket — a loud noise
  15. rash — a series
  16. bark — of a tree
  17. rash — on the skin
  18. rash — hasty
  19. nail — on a finger
  20. bark — a dog's sound
  21. coach — a trainer
  22. pound — a weight
  23. pound — to hit hard
  24. can — to be able to

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