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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. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  2. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  3. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  4. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  5. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  6. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  7. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  8. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  9. False peace will not ________________.
  10. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  11. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  12. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  13. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  14. What do you think of the new ________________?
  15. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  16. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  17. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  18. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  19. Where did you ________________ them?
  20. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  21. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  22. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  23. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  24. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!

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

Answer key

  1. pound — to hit hard
  2. cabinet — ministers
  3. net — after costs
  4. pound — a weight
  5. pit — in a race
  6. net — in sport
  7. perch — for a bird
  8. wake — to stop sleeping
  9. last — to go on
  10. wake — before a funeral
  11. wake — a trail
  12. pound — for dogs
  13. cabinet — a cupboard
  14. cabinet — ministers
  15. mug — a cup
  16. last — finally
  17. perch — for a bird
  18. perch — the fish
  19. mug — to rob
  20. pit — a fruit stone
  21. pit — a hole
  22. mug — a face
  23. net — for catching
  24. last — final

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