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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. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  2. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  3. When will it ________________ you to start?
  4. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  5. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  6. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  7. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  8. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  9. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  10. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  11. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  12. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  13. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  14. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  15. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  16. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  17. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  18. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  19. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  20. I'll be taking the ________________.
  21. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  22. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  23. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  24. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — steady
  2. racket — for tennis
  3. suit — to fit
  4. suit — clothes
  5. pound — a weight
  6. racket — a loud noise
  7. cue — a signal
  8. suit — in cards
  9. firm — decided
  10. firm — a company
  11. bark — of a tree
  12. net — after costs
  13. net — for catching
  14. bark — a dog's sound
  15. tube — a container
  16. cue — for pool
  17. bark — to shout
  18. cue — a hint
  19. tube — in a tire
  20. tube — the underground
  21. net — in sport
  22. pound — to hit hard
  23. racket — for tennis
  24. pound — for dogs

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