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

  1. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  2. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  3. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  4. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  5. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  6. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  7. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  8. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  9. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  10. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  11. That was ________________ to happen.
  12. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  13. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  14. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  15. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  16. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  17. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  18. The old man leaned on his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — for a computer
  2. pound — a weight
  3. bound — tied together
  4. staff — employees
  5. mouse — the animal
  6. content — the amount
  7. mouse — the animal
  8. fan — to cool the air
  9. pound — to hit hard
  10. pound — for dogs
  11. bound — certain
  12. content — happy
  13. staff — employees
  14. fan — a supporter
  15. fan — a supporter
  16. content — videos and posts
  17. bound — obliged
  18. staff — a stick

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