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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. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  2. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  3. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  4. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  5. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  6. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  7. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  8. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  9. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  10. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  11. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  12. The ball is in your ________________.
  13. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  14. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  15. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  16. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  17. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  18. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  19. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  20. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  21. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  22. How do you ________________ your surname?
  23. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  24. David sat on the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pound — for dogs
  2. content — videos and posts
  3. swing — music
  4. firm — decided
  5. spell — a short time
  6. wave — with your hand
  7. swing — in golf
  8. chip — in a computer
  9. pound — to hit hard
  10. firm — a company
  11. firm — steady
  12. court — for sport
  13. court — of law
  14. court — of a king
  15. wave — a sudden rise
  16. wave — of the sea
  17. pound — a weight
  18. content — the amount
  19. chip — for betting
  20. spell — magic
  21. content — happy
  22. spell — letters
  23. chip — to eat
  24. swing — to play on

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