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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. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  3. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  4. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  5. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  6. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  7. How do you ________________ your surname?
  8. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  9. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  10. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  11. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  12. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  13. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  14. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  15. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  16. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  17. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  18. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  19. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  20. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  21. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  22. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  23. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  24. Check the label for the sugar ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pound — for dogs
  2. cue — a hint
  3. can — a tin
  4. bank — of a river
  5. racket — a loud noise
  6. can — to be able to
  7. spell — letters
  8. content — happy
  9. pound — to hit hard
  10. racket — for tennis
  11. bank — for money
  12. firm — decided
  13. cue — for pool
  14. firm — steady
  15. pound — a weight
  16. spell — a short time
  17. cue — a signal
  18. bank — for money
  19. racket — for tennis
  20. can — a tin
  21. firm — a company
  22. spell — magic
  23. content — videos and posts
  24. content — the amount

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