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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 120 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. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  2. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  3. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  4. That was a fun ________________.
  5. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  6. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  7. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  8. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  9. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  10. That was ________________ to happen.
  11. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  12. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  13. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  14. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  15. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  16. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  17. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  18. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  19. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  20. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  21. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  22. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  23. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  24. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.

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

Answer key

  1. pound — for dogs
  2. scale — in music
  3. scale — size or range
  4. game — a match
  5. fine — all right
  6. vault — in gymnastics
  7. fine — a penalty
  8. vault — a safe
  9. can — a tin
  10. bound — certain
  11. game — wild animals
  12. bound — obliged
  13. mark — to pay attention
  14. pound — a weight
  15. can — to be able to
  16. scale — for weighing
  17. pound — to hit hard
  18. game — a kind of play
  19. bound — tied together
  20. vault — an arched ceiling
  21. mark — a grade
  22. can — a tin
  23. mark — a trace
  24. fine — high quality

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