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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. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  3. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  4. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  5. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  6. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  7. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  8. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  9. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  10. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  11. David sat on the ________________.
  12. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  13. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  14. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  15. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  16. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  17. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  18. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  19. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  20. My mare is ________________ in color.
  21. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  22. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  23. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  24. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.

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

Answer key

  1. pound — to hit hard
  2. swing — in golf
  3. rule — a law
  4. mark — a trace
  5. row — a quarrel
  6. pound — a weight
  7. firm — a company
  8. rule — government
  9. bay — to keep at bay
  10. firm — steady
  11. swing — to play on
  12. bay — a part of the sea
  13. row — to paddle
  14. firm — decided
  15. mark — to pay attention
  16. row — a line
  17. swing — music
  18. rule — to rule out
  19. mark — a grade
  20. bay — a horse colour
  21. calf — a young animal
  22. calf — of the leg
  23. calf — a young animal
  24. pound — for dogs

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