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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. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  2. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  3. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  4. Don't do anything ________________.
  5. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  6. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  7. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  8. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  9. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  10. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  11. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  12. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  13. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  14. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  15. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  16. The ball is in your ________________.
  17. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  18. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  19. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  20. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  21. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  22. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  23. My mare is ________________ in color.
  24. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?

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

Answer key

  1. rock — to move gently
  2. pound — for dogs
  3. staff — a stick
  4. rash — hasty
  5. court — of a king
  6. bay — to keep at bay
  7. court — of law
  8. rash — a series
  9. rash — on the skin
  10. object — an aim
  11. rock — a stone
  12. object — a thing
  13. rock — music
  14. pound — to hit hard
  15. staff — employees
  16. court — for sport
  17. snap — to snap out of it
  18. snap — to click
  19. snap — to speak sharply
  20. staff — employees
  21. bay — a part of the sea
  22. pound — a weight
  23. bay — a horse colour
  24. object — to protest

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