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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. I can't ________________ this cold.
  3. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  4. That must've been a ________________.
  5. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  6. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  7. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  8. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  9. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  10. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  11. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  12. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  13. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  14. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  15. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  16. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  17. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  18. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  19. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  20. That was ________________ to happen.
  21. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  22. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  23. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  24. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?

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

Answer key

  1. pound — a weight
  2. stand — to bear
  3. craft — a skill
  4. rush — a thrill
  5. bound — tied together
  6. pound — for dogs
  7. rock — a stone
  8. rock — to move gently
  9. fine — a penalty
  10. rush — hurry
  11. fine — all right
  12. fine — high quality
  13. rush — to hurry
  14. scale — in music
  15. pound — to hit hard
  16. craft — a handicraft
  17. stand — for spectators
  18. stand — on your feet
  19. bound — obliged
  20. bound — certain
  21. craft — boats
  22. scale — size or range
  23. scale — for weighing
  24. rock — music

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