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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. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  2. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  3. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  4. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  5. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  6. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  7. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  8. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  9. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  10. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  11. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  12. You don't need to ________________ round.
  13. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  14. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  15. Did you ________________ the meat?
  16. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  17. We're almost out of ________________.
  18. Don't do anything ________________.
  19. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  20. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  21. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  22. That was ________________ to happen.
  23. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  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. fall — to drop
  2. bound — tied together
  3. net — in sport
  4. pound — a weight
  5. season — in sport
  6. rash — a series
  7. fall — the season
  8. net — for catching
  9. pound — for dogs
  10. fall — to drop
  11. pop — music
  12. pop — to visit
  13. safe — a strongbox
  14. safe — out of danger
  15. season — to add flavour
  16. safe — out of danger
  17. pop — soda
  18. rash — hasty
  19. net — after costs
  20. rash — on the skin
  21. season — of the year
  22. bound — certain
  23. bound — obliged
  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