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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. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  2. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  3. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  4. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  5. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  6. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  7. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  8. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  9. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  10. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  11. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  12. How do you ________________ your surname?
  13. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  14. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  15. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  16. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  17. When will it ________________ you to start?
  18. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  19. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  20. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  21. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  22. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  23. That was ________________ to happen.
  24. When was this ________________ built?

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

Answer key

  1. pound — for dogs
  2. pound — a weight
  3. suit — clothes
  4. rock — to move gently
  5. temple — a place of worship
  6. bound — obliged
  7. spring — a coil
  8. temple — side of the head
  9. fork — in a road
  10. pound — to hit hard
  11. suit — in cards
  12. spell — letters
  13. spell — a short time
  14. spring — the season
  15. fork — a garden tool
  16. spell — magic
  17. suit — to fit
  18. fork — to eat with
  19. rock — a stone
  20. spring — of water
  21. bound — tied together
  22. rock — music
  23. bound — certain
  24. temple — a place of worship

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