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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: saw · wake · pound · foot · object · jam · pass · rest

  1. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  2. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  3. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  4. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  5. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  6. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  7. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  8. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  9. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  10. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  11. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  12. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  13. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  14. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  15. He works in a ________________ mill.
  16. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  17. She's very handy with a ________________.
  18. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  19. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  20. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  21. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  22. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  23. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  24. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rest — what's left
  2. pound — for dogs
  3. pound — to hit hard
  4. object — an aim
  5. foot — a measure
  6. pass — to succeed
  7. foot — part of the body
  8. wake — to stop sleeping
  9. object — a thing
  10. rest — a break
  11. wake — before a funeral
  12. jam — a tight spot
  13. pass — a permit
  14. wake — a trail
  15. saw — the tool
  16. object — to protest
  17. saw — the tool
  18. pass — to spend time
  19. saw — past of 'see'
  20. foot — the bottom
  21. jam — to spread on bread
  22. pound — a weight
  23. rest — what's left
  24. jam — in traffic

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