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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: present · pound · object · saw · bulb · suit · coach · game

  1. That was a fun ________________.
  2. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  3. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  4. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  5. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  6. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  7. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  8. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  9. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  10. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  11. When will it ________________ you to start?
  12. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  13. He works in a ________________ mill.
  14. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  15. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  16. Have you met the new head ________________?
  17. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  18. I've got to change the light ________________.
  19. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  20. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  21. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  22. The light ________________ burned out.
  23. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  24. She's very handy with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. game — a match
  2. pound — to hit hard
  3. pound — a weight
  4. present — there
  5. game — a kind of play
  6. bulb — of a plant
  7. saw — past of 'see'
  8. coach — a trainer
  9. object — a thing
  10. object — an aim
  11. suit — to fit
  12. suit — in cards
  13. saw — the tool
  14. present — a gift
  15. coach — pulled by horses
  16. coach — a trainer
  17. object — to protest
  18. bulb — for light
  19. suit — clothes
  20. game — wild animals
  21. present — the time now
  22. bulb — for light
  23. pound — for dogs
  24. saw — the tool

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