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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 thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  2. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  3. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  4. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  5. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  6. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  7. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  8. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  9. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  10. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  11. David sat on the ________________.
  12. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  13. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  14. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  15. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  16. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  17. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  18. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  19. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  20. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  21. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  22. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  23. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  24. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — the animal
  2. safe — out of danger
  3. firm — a company
  4. mouse — for a computer
  5. fine — all right
  6. can — a tin
  7. safe — a strongbox
  8. object — an aim
  9. fine — high quality
  10. pound — to hit hard
  11. swing — to play on
  12. pound — for dogs
  13. fine — a penalty
  14. can — a tin
  15. safe — out of danger
  16. pound — a weight
  17. firm — decided
  18. firm — steady
  19. can — to be able to
  20. mouse — the animal
  21. swing — in golf
  22. object — a thing
  23. object — to protest
  24. swing — music

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