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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. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  2. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  3. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  4. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  5. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  6. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  7. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  8. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  9. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  10. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  11. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  12. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  13. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  14. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  15. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  16. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  17. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  18. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  19. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  20. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  21. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  22. That was a fun ________________.
  23. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  24. ________________ you help me carry this box?

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

Answer key

  1. pound — a weight
  2. wound — an injury
  3. game — a kind of play
  4. can — a tin
  5. bear — the animal
  6. wound — an injury
  7. pass — to spend time
  8. pass — a permit
  9. bear — the animal
  10. can — a tin
  11. dip — to sink
  12. pound — for dogs
  13. bear — to put up with
  14. capital — money
  15. pass — to succeed
  16. wound — past of 'wind'
  17. dip — a sauce
  18. capital — a city
  19. pound — to hit hard
  20. game — wild animals
  21. capital — a big letter
  22. game — a match
  23. dip — to dunk
  24. can — to be able to

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