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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. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  2. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  3. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  4. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  5. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  6. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  7. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  8. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  9. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  10. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  11. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  12. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  13. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  14. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  15. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  16. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  17. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  18. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  19. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  20. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  21. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  22. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  23. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  24. I have a corn on my right ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pound — for dogs
  2. toast — a drink to someone
  3. bowl — to roll
  4. wound — past of 'wind'
  5. root — the cause
  6. wound — an injury
  7. foot — the bottom
  8. patient — a sick person
  9. foot — a measure
  10. toast — the most admired
  11. bowl — a dish
  12. patient — calm and waiting
  13. craft — boats
  14. pound — a weight
  15. patient — a sick person
  16. pound — to hit hard
  17. root — of a word
  18. wound — an injury
  19. craft — a skill
  20. toast — bread
  21. root — of a plant
  22. bowl — a football final
  23. craft — a handicraft
  24. foot — part of the body

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