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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. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  3. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  4. The light ________________ burned out.
  5. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  6. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  7. This piece is in a major ________________.
  8. That was a fun ________________.
  9. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  10. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  11. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  12. The ________________ market has crashed.
  13. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  14. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  15. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  16. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  17. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  18. I've got to change the light ________________.
  19. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  20. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  21. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  22. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  23. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  24. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.

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

Answer key

  1. pound — for dogs
  2. can — a tin
  3. game — wild animals
  4. bulb — for light
  5. can — to be able to
  6. patient — calm and waiting
  7. key — in music
  8. game — a match
  9. key — the most important part
  10. bulb — of a plant
  11. stock — a soup base
  12. stock — shares
  13. pound — a weight
  14. stock — goods
  15. key — for a lock
  16. staff — employees
  17. can — a tin
  18. bulb — for light
  19. game — a kind of play
  20. staff — employees
  21. patient — a sick person
  22. staff — a stick
  23. pound — to hit hard
  24. patient — a sick person

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