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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: mark · nail · pitcher · court · object · sharp · kick · pound

  1. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  2. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  3. The ________________ went through the wall.
  4. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  5. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  6. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  7. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  8. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  9. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  10. The ball is in your ________________.
  11. He is an ace ________________.
  12. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  13. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  14. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  15. It's one o'clock ________________.
  16. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  17. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  18. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  19. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  20. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  21. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  22. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  23. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  24. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.

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

Answer key

  1. pound — for dogs
  2. object — an aim
  3. nail — for a hammer
  4. sharp — clever
  5. kick — with a leg
  6. pitcher — a jug
  7. mark — a trace
  8. object — a thing
  9. kick — in football
  10. court — for sport
  11. pitcher — in baseball
  12. nail — for a hammer
  13. object — to protest
  14. nail — on a finger
  15. sharp — exactly
  16. court — of a king
  17. sharp — with an edge
  18. pitcher — a jug
  19. mark — a grade
  20. pound — to hit hard
  21. court — of law
  22. kick — a thrill
  23. pound — a weight
  24. mark — to pay attention

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