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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. We're almost out of ________________.
  2. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  3. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  4. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  5. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  6. You don't need to ________________ round.
  7. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  8. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  9. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  10. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  11. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  12. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  13. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  14. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  15. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  16. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  17. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  18. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  19. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  20. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  21. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  22. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  23. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  24. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.

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

Answer key

  1. pop — soda
  2. deal — an agreement
  3. pitch — completely
  4. pound — to hit hard
  5. craft — boats
  6. pop — to visit
  7. scale — size or range
  8. scale — in music
  9. pound — a weight
  10. pitch — a sports field
  11. calf — a young animal
  12. pound — for dogs
  13. scale — for weighing
  14. calf — of the leg
  15. pop — music
  16. pitch — a sales talk
  17. calf — a young animal
  18. deal — to handle
  19. face — part of the head
  20. deal — a big deal
  21. face — to point toward
  22. face — to confront
  23. craft — a handicraft
  24. craft — a skill

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