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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. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  2. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  3. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  4. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  5. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  6. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  7. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  8. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  9. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  10. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  11. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  12. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  13. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  14. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  15. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  16. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  17. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  18. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  19. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  20. I can't ________________ this cold.
  21. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  22. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  23. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  24. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.

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. bowl — a dish
  4. stand — on your feet
  5. pound — for dogs
  6. firm — decided
  7. field — for sport
  8. stand — for spectators
  9. pound — to hit hard
  10. bowl — to roll
  11. field — farmland
  12. field — a subject
  13. bass — the instrument
  14. mouse — the animal
  15. firm — a company
  16. mouse — for a computer
  17. bass — low music
  18. mouse — the animal
  19. chip — to eat
  20. stand — to bear
  21. chip — for betting
  22. chip — in a computer
  23. firm — steady
  24. bowl — a football final

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