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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 116 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. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  2. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  3. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  4. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  5. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  6. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  7. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  8. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  9. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  10. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  11. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  12. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  13. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  14. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  15. I'll be taking the ________________.
  16. That was ________________ to happen.
  17. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  18. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  19. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  20. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  21. This piece is in a major ________________.
  22. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  23. When are we going to ________________?
  24. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.

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

Answer key

  1. key — for a lock
  2. pound — a weight
  3. row — a quarrel
  4. row — to paddle
  5. land — a country
  6. object — an aim
  7. bound — obliged
  8. pitch — a sales talk
  9. pitch — a sports field
  10. row — a line
  11. tube — a container
  12. land — ground
  13. pitch — completely
  14. bound — tied together
  15. tube — the underground
  16. bound — certain
  17. pound — for dogs
  18. key — the most important part
  19. object — to protest
  20. object — a thing
  21. key — in music
  22. pound — to hit hard
  23. land — to come down
  24. tube — in a tire

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