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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. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  2. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  3. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  4. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  5. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  6. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  7. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  8. There's no middle ________________.
  9. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  10. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  11. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  12. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  13. That was ________________ to happen.
  14. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  15. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  16. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  17. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  18. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  19. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  20. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  21. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  22. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  23. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  24. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.

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

Answer key

  1. pound — a weight
  2. craft — boats
  3. deal — an agreement
  4. bound — obliged
  5. craft — a skill
  6. face — to point toward
  7. pitch — a sales talk
  8. ground — a position
  9. wave — of the sea
  10. face — part of the head
  11. craft — a handicraft
  12. wave — a sudden rise
  13. bound — certain
  14. pitch — completely
  15. wave — with your hand
  16. bound — tied together
  17. ground — the earth
  18. pitch — a sports field
  19. face — to confront
  20. ground — crushed
  21. deal — a big deal
  22. deal — to handle
  23. pound — for dogs
  24. pound — to hit hard

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