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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. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  3. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  4. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  5. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  6. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  7. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  8. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  9. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  10. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  11. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  12. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  13. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  14. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  15. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  16. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  17. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  18. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  19. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  20. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  21. We're on a ________________ here.
  22. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  23. David sat on the ________________.
  24. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.

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

Answer key

  1. pound — for dogs
  2. swing — in golf
  3. rock — music
  4. capital — money
  5. ruler — a monarch
  6. roll — a list
  7. pound — to hit hard
  8. fan — to cool the air
  9. capital — a big letter
  10. pound — a weight
  11. craft — a handicraft
  12. fan — a supporter
  13. capital — a city
  14. swing — music
  15. rock — a stone
  16. fan — a supporter
  17. craft — a skill
  18. craft — boats
  19. ruler — for measuring
  20. rock — to move gently
  21. roll — on a roll
  22. roll — a cake
  23. swing — to play on
  24. ruler — for measuring

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