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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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Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: pound · mark · pop · mug · firm · suit · object · court

  1. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  2. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  3. The ball is in your ________________.
  4. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  5. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  6. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  7. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  8. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  9. Where did you ________________ them?
  10. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  11. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  12. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  13. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  14. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  15. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  16. We're almost out of ________________.
  17. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  18. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  19. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  20. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  21. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  22. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  23. You don't need to ________________ round.
  24. When will it ________________ you to start?

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

Answer key

  1. court — of a king
  2. mug — a face
  3. court — for sport
  4. object — to protest
  5. pound — for dogs
  6. firm — steady
  7. suit — clothes
  8. object — an aim
  9. mug — to rob
  10. pound — to hit hard
  11. mark — a grade
  12. suit — in cards
  13. firm — a company
  14. mark — a trace
  15. mug — a cup
  16. pop — soda
  17. pop — music
  18. firm — decided
  19. object — a thing
  20. mark — to pay attention
  21. pound — a weight
  22. court — of law
  23. pop — to visit
  24. suit — to fit

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