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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. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  2. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  3. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  4. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  5. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  6. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  7. Did you ________________ the button?
  8. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  9. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  10. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  11. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  12. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  13. That was ________________ to happen.
  14. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  15. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  16. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  17. We're almost out of ________________.
  18. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  19. You don't need to ________________ round.
  20. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  21. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  22. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  23. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  24. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.

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

Answer key

  1. pound — to hit hard
  2. bound — tied together
  3. bound — obliged
  4. perch — for a bird
  5. pound — a weight
  6. press — newspapers
  7. press — to push
  8. wound — an injury
  9. wound — past of 'wind'
  10. perch — the fish
  11. pound — for dogs
  12. mouse — for a computer
  13. bound — certain
  14. mouse — the animal
  15. mouse — the animal
  16. wound — an injury
  17. pop — soda
  18. perch — for a bird
  19. pop — to visit
  20. press — a publisher
  21. racket — a loud noise
  22. racket — for tennis
  23. racket — for tennis
  24. pop — 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