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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. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  3. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  4. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  5. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  6. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  7. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  8. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  9. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  10. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  11. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  12. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  13. When are we going to ________________?
  14. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  15. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  16. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  17. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  18. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  19. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  20. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  21. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  22. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  23. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  24. The ________________ change colour in autumn.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — the animal
  2. pound — a weight
  3. pound — to hit hard
  4. calf — a young animal
  5. pitch — a sports field
  6. pitch — completely
  7. deal — to handle
  8. deal — a big deal
  9. leaves — to go away
  10. land — ground
  11. calf — a young animal
  12. pitch — a sales talk
  13. land — to come down
  14. pound — for dogs
  15. prune — the fruit
  16. prune — to trim
  17. deal — an agreement
  18. mouse — the animal
  19. land — a country
  20. calf — of the leg
  21. mouse — for a computer
  22. leaves — lets stay
  23. prune — to trim
  24. leaves — of a tree

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