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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. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  2. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  3. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  4. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  5. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  6. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  7. We're almost out of ________________.
  8. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  9. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  10. You don't need to ________________ round.
  11. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  12. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  13. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  14. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  15. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  16. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  17. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  18. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  19. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  20. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  21. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  22. He is an ace ________________.
  23. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  24. Fill up this ________________ with water.

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

Answer key

  1. pound — for dogs
  2. hide — to keep secret
  3. pitch — a sales talk
  4. craft — a skill
  5. foot — the bottom
  6. pitch — completely
  7. pop — soda
  8. pound — a weight
  9. craft — a handicraft
  10. pop — to visit
  11. foot — part of the body
  12. pop — music
  13. foot — a measure
  14. degree — an amount
  15. pitch — a sports field
  16. hide — to keep secret
  17. pitcher — a jug
  18. hide — animal skin
  19. degree — temperature
  20. craft — boats
  21. degree — from a university
  22. pitcher — in baseball
  23. pound — to hit hard
  24. pitcher — a jug

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