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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. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  2. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  3. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  4. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  5. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  6. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  7. The King held a masked ________________.
  8. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  9. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  10. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  11. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  12. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  13. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  14. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  15. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  16. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  17. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  18. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  19. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  20. David sat on the ________________.
  21. What do you think of the new ________________?
  22. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  23. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  24. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?

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

Answer key

  1. rock — a stone
  2. cabinet — a cupboard
  3. pound — a weight
  4. ball — a round shape
  5. swing — music
  6. deal — a big deal
  7. ball — a dance
  8. straw — to clutch at straws
  9. deal — an agreement
  10. cabinet — ministers
  11. rock — to move gently
  12. net — for catching
  13. swing — in golf
  14. straw — dry grass
  15. net — after costs
  16. straw — a straw man
  17. ball — a great time
  18. pound — to hit hard
  19. deal — to handle
  20. swing — to play on
  21. cabinet — ministers
  22. pound — for dogs
  23. net — in sport
  24. rock — music

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