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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. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  2. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  3. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  4. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  5. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  6. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  7. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  8. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  9. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  10. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  11. There's no middle ________________.
  12. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  13. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  14. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  15. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  16. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  17. That was ________________ to happen.
  18. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  19. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  20. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  21. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  22. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  23. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  24. Add some ________________ pepper to it.

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

Answer key

  1. ground — the earth
  2. file — a document
  3. pound — to hit hard
  4. pound — for dogs
  5. file — a line of people
  6. bound — obliged
  7. wave — with your hand
  8. bound — tied together
  9. mouse — the animal
  10. wave — of the sea
  11. ground — a position
  12. lean — to rest against
  13. file — a tool
  14. lean — to bend
  15. pound — a weight
  16. bark — to shout
  17. bound — certain
  18. bark — a dog's sound
  19. mouse — the animal
  20. bark — of a tree
  21. lean — thin
  22. mouse — for a computer
  23. wave — a sudden rise
  24. ground — crushed

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