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

  1. I can't ________________ this cold.
  2. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  3. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  4. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  5. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  6. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  7. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  8. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  9. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  10. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  11. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  12. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  13. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  14. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  15. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  16. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  17. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  18. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — to bear
  2. root — the cause
  3. pound — for dogs
  4. pound — a weight
  5. bass — the fish
  6. stand — on your feet
  7. pound — to hit hard
  8. stand — for spectators
  9. root — of a plant
  10. chip — to eat
  11. chip — in a computer
  12. bass — the instrument
  13. perch — the fish
  14. perch — for a bird
  15. bass — low music
  16. root — of a word
  17. perch — for a bird
  18. chip — for betting

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