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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 pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  3. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  4. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  5. We're almost out of ________________.
  6. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  7. You don't need to ________________ round.
  8. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  9. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  10. This piece is in a major ________________.
  11. When will it ________________ you to start?
  12. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  13. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  14. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  15. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  16. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  17. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  18. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  19. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  20. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  21. That was a fun ________________.
  22. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  23. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  24. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.

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

Answer key

  1. pound — a weight
  2. game — wild animals
  3. pit — a hole
  4. leaves — to go away
  5. pop — soda
  6. game — a kind of play
  7. pop — to visit
  8. key — the most important part
  9. spring — a coil
  10. key — in music
  11. suit — to fit
  12. pop — music
  13. pound — for dogs
  14. suit — in cards
  15. suit — clothes
  16. pit — a fruit stone
  17. spring — the season
  18. spring — of water
  19. leaves — lets stay
  20. leaves — of a tree
  21. game — a match
  22. pit — in a race
  23. key — for a lock
  24. pound — to hit hard

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