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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. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  3. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  4. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  5. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  6. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  7. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  8. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  9. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  10. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  11. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  12. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  13. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  14. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  15. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  16. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  17. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  18. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  19. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  20. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  21. I can't ________________ this cold.
  22. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  23. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  24. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pound — a weight
  2. pound — for dogs
  3. stand — on your feet
  4. fall — to drop
  5. scale — size or range
  6. cue — for pool
  7. snap — to snap out of it
  8. snap — to speak sharply
  9. mark — to pay attention
  10. fall — the season
  11. fall — to drop
  12. bear — the animal
  13. mark — a grade
  14. scale — in music
  15. scale — for weighing
  16. pound — to hit hard
  17. snap — to click
  18. bear — to put up with
  19. cue — a signal
  20. mark — a trace
  21. stand — to bear
  22. cue — a hint
  23. bear — the animal
  24. stand — for spectators

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