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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. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  2. We're almost out of ________________.
  3. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  4. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  5. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  6. You don't need to ________________ round.
  7. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  8. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  9. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  10. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  11. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  12. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  13. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  14. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  15. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  16. The ________________ went through the wall.
  17. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  18. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  19. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  20. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  21. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  22. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  23. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  24. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — out of danger
  2. pop — soda
  3. firm — a company
  4. pound — to hit hard
  5. safe — out of danger
  6. pop — to visit
  7. pop — music
  8. craft — a handicraft
  9. root — the cause
  10. pound — for dogs
  11. craft — boats
  12. tear — from crying
  13. root — of a plant
  14. nail — on a finger
  15. tear — from crying
  16. nail — for a hammer
  17. craft — a skill
  18. firm — steady
  19. firm — decided
  20. pound — a weight
  21. safe — a strongbox
  22. root — of a word
  23. nail — for a hammer
  24. tear — to rip

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