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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. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  2. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  3. That was ________________ to happen.
  4. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  5. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  6. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  7. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  8. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  9. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  10. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  11. How do you ________________ your surname?
  12. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  13. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  14. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  15. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  16. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  17. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  18. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  19. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  20. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  21. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  22. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  23. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  24. Have you found your soul ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. pound — a weight
  2. spring — the season
  3. bound — certain
  4. wound — an injury
  5. drill — a practice
  6. wound — past of 'wind'
  7. ruler — for measuring
  8. pound — for dogs
  9. pound — to hit hard
  10. spell — magic
  11. spell — letters
  12. drill — the tool
  13. bound — obliged
  14. bound — tied together
  15. spring — of water
  16. mate — to breed
  17. spell — a short time
  18. spring — a coil
  19. mate — a friend
  20. drill — army training
  21. wound — an injury
  22. ruler — for measuring
  23. ruler — a monarch
  24. mate — a partner

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