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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. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  3. I can't ________________ this cold.
  4. The light ________________ burned out.
  5. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  6. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  7. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  8. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  9. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  10. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  11. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  12. My mare is ________________ in color.
  13. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  14. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  15. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  16. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  17. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  18. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  19. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  20. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  21. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  22. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  23. I've got to change the light ________________.
  24. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.

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

Answer key

  1. pound — a weight
  2. stick — a piece of wood
  3. stand — to bear
  4. bulb — for light
  5. row — a quarrel
  6. hand — help
  7. bay — a part of the sea
  8. stand — on your feet
  9. bulb — of a plant
  10. root — of a plant
  11. row — a line
  12. bay — a horse colour
  13. stand — for spectators
  14. stick — a piece of wood
  15. hand — in cards
  16. pound — to hit hard
  17. stick — to attach or keep to
  18. hand — part of the body
  19. root — the cause
  20. pound — for dogs
  21. root — of a word
  22. bay — to keep at bay
  23. bulb — for light
  24. row — to paddle

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