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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. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  2. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  3. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  4. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  5. The King held a masked ________________.
  6. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  7. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  8. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  9. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  10. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  11. We're on a ________________ here.
  12. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  13. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  14. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  15. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  16. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  17. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  18. That was a fun ________________.
  19. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  20. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  21. That was ________________ to happen.
  22. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  23. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  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. bound — tied together
  2. ball — a round shape
  3. drill — a practice
  4. bank — for money
  5. ball — a dance
  6. bank — of a river
  7. root — the cause
  8. drill — the tool
  9. roll — a cake
  10. pound — for dogs
  11. roll — on a roll
  12. pound — a weight
  13. root — of a plant
  14. bound — obliged
  15. ball — a great time
  16. drill — army training
  17. roll — a list
  18. game — a match
  19. bank — for money
  20. root — of a word
  21. bound — certain
  22. game — a kind of play
  23. game — wild animals
  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