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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. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  2. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  3. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  4. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  5. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  6. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  7. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  8. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  9. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  10. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  11. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  12. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  13. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  14. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  15. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  16. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  17. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  18. We're almost out of ________________.
  19. You don't need to ________________ round.
  20. What do you think of the new ________________?
  21. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  22. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  23. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  24. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.

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

Answer key

  1. object — a thing
  2. wound — past of 'wind'
  3. cabinet — ministers
  4. object — to protest
  5. dip — to dunk
  6. cabinet — a cupboard
  7. present — a gift
  8. object — an aim
  9. pound — for dogs
  10. present — there
  11. pound — to hit hard
  12. wound — an injury
  13. dip — a sauce
  14. present — the time now
  15. firm — a company
  16. wound — an injury
  17. pound — a weight
  18. pop — soda
  19. pop — to visit
  20. cabinet — ministers
  21. firm — decided
  22. dip — to sink
  23. pop — music
  24. firm — steady

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