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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 120 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. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  3. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  4. That was ________________ to happen.
  5. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  6. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  7. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  8. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  9. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  10. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  11. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  12. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  13. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  14. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  15. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  16. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  17. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  18. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  19. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  20. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  21. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  22. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  23. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  24. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.

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

Answer key

  1. pound — a weight
  2. chip — for betting
  3. field — a subject
  4. bound — certain
  5. chip — in a computer
  6. field — for sport
  7. club — a group
  8. can — a tin
  9. bound — obliged
  10. leaves — of a tree
  11. club — for dancing
  12. pound — for dogs
  13. net — after costs
  14. club — for golf
  15. net — for catching
  16. pound — to hit hard
  17. field — farmland
  18. net — in sport
  19. bound — tied together
  20. can — a tin
  21. can — to be able to
  22. chip — to eat
  23. leaves — to go away
  24. leaves — lets stay

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