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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. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  2. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  3. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  4. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  5. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  6. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  7. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  8. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  9. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  10. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  11. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  12. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  13. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  14. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  15. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  16. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  17. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  18. How do you ________________ your surname?
  19. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  20. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  21. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  22. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  23. When will it ________________ you to start?
  24. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.

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

Answer key

  1. pound — to hit hard
  2. net — after costs
  3. squash — to crush
  4. suit — clothes
  5. cue — for pool
  6. foot — a measure
  7. net — for catching
  8. pound — for dogs
  9. suit — in cards
  10. squash — the vegetable
  11. spell — a short time
  12. spell — magic
  13. cue — a signal
  14. cue — a hint
  15. foot — the bottom
  16. fall — the season
  17. foot — part of the body
  18. spell — letters
  19. pound — a weight
  20. net — in sport
  21. fall — to drop
  22. squash — the sport
  23. suit — to fit
  24. fall — to drop

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