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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. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  2. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  3. When will it ________________ you to start?
  4. The ________________ went through the wall.
  5. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  6. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  7. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  8. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  9. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  10. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  11. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  12. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  13. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  14. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  15. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  16. That was ________________ to happen.
  17. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  18. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pound — a weight
  2. root — of a plant
  3. suit — to fit
  4. nail — for a hammer
  5. capital — money
  6. nail — on a finger
  7. bound — tied together
  8. pound — to hit hard
  9. capital — a city
  10. bound — obliged
  11. pound — for dogs
  12. root — the cause
  13. suit — clothes
  14. nail — for a hammer
  15. capital — a big letter
  16. bound — certain
  17. root — of a word
  18. suit — in cards

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