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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. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  3. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  4. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  5. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  6. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  7. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  8. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  9. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  10. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  11. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  12. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  13. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  14. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  15. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  16. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  17. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  18. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  19. I'll be taking the ________________.
  20. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  21. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  22. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  23. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  24. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.

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

Answer key

  1. pound — a weight
  2. calf — of the leg
  3. fall — the season
  4. mark — a trace
  5. calf — a young animal
  6. pound — for dogs
  7. prune — the fruit
  8. firm — decided
  9. wound — an injury
  10. wound — past of 'wind'
  11. calf — a young animal
  12. fall — to drop
  13. firm — steady
  14. mark — a grade
  15. fall — to drop
  16. firm — a company
  17. tube — in a tire
  18. mark — to pay attention
  19. tube — the underground
  20. prune — to trim
  21. prune — to trim
  22. wound — an injury
  23. tube — a container
  24. pound — to hit hard

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