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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. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  2. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  3. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  4. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  5. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  6. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  7. It's one o'clock ________________.
  8. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  9. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  10. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  11. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  12. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  13. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  14. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  15. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  16. The ball is in your ________________.
  17. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  18. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  19. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  20. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  21. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  22. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  23. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  24. Recycle the empty soda ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pound — a weight
  2. firm — steady
  3. current — of water
  4. current — happening now
  5. court — of a king
  6. shower — rain
  7. sharp — exactly
  8. pound — for dogs
  9. firm — a company
  10. court — of law
  11. hide — to keep secret
  12. firm — decided
  13. shower — to wash
  14. sharp — clever
  15. current — electric
  16. court — for sport
  17. hide — to keep secret
  18. pound — to hit hard
  19. sharp — with an edge
  20. can — a tin
  21. can — to be able to
  22. shower — a meteor shower
  23. hide — animal skin
  24. can — a tin

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