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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 116 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. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  3. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  4. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  5. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  6. The ________________ market has crashed.
  7. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  8. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  9. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  10. David sat on the ________________.
  11. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  12. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  13. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  14. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  15. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  16. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  17. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  18. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  19. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  20. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  21. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  22. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  23. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  24. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.

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

Answer key

  1. pound — for dogs
  2. safe — out of danger
  3. swing — music
  4. stock — a soup base
  5. shower — rain
  6. stock — shares
  7. safe — a strongbox
  8. mark — a grade
  9. pound — a weight
  10. swing — to play on
  11. safe — out of danger
  12. shower — a meteor shower
  13. bore — to tire
  14. pound — to hit hard
  15. stock — goods
  16. cue — a signal
  17. mark — a trace
  18. bore — gave birth
  19. cue — for pool
  20. cue — a hint
  21. shower — to wash
  22. bore — to drill
  23. swing — in golf
  24. mark — to pay attention

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