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

Word bank: pound · saw · pass · trunk · swing · hide · firm · chair

  1. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  2. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  3. He works in a ________________ mill.
  4. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  5. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  6. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  7. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  8. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  9. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  10. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  11. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  12. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  13. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  14. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  15. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  16. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  17. David sat on the ________________.
  18. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  19. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  20. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  21. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  22. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  23. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  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. pound — for dogs
  2. firm — decided
  3. saw — the tool
  4. swing — in golf
  5. hide — animal skin
  6. trunk — of an elephant
  7. saw — past of 'see'
  8. pass — to spend time
  9. trunk — of a tree
  10. pass — a permit
  11. pound — to hit hard
  12. hide — to keep secret
  13. chair — a leader
  14. swing — music
  15. pass — to succeed
  16. pound — a weight
  17. swing — to play on
  18. trunk — of a car
  19. chair — a professorship
  20. firm — steady
  21. hide — to keep secret
  22. chair — to sit on
  23. firm — a company
  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