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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. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  3. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  4. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  5. When will it ________________ you to start?
  6. That was ________________ to happen.
  7. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  8. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  9. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  10. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  11. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  12. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  13. When was this ________________ built?
  14. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  15. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  16. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  17. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  18. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  19. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  20. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  21. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  22. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  23. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  24. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?

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

Answer key

  1. pound — a weight
  2. bass — the fish
  3. rock — music
  4. bound — obliged
  5. suit — to fit
  6. bound — certain
  7. suit — in cards
  8. bass — the instrument
  9. straw — dry grass
  10. bass — low music
  11. straw — to clutch at straws
  12. rock — to move gently
  13. temple — a place of worship
  14. temple — side of the head
  15. pound — for dogs
  16. bound — tied together
  17. suit — clothes
  18. degree — temperature
  19. temple — a place of worship
  20. rock — a stone
  21. degree — from a university
  22. pound — to hit hard
  23. straw — a straw man
  24. degree — an amount

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