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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 cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  3. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  4. How do you ________________ your surname?
  5. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  6. When will it ________________ you to start?
  7. She's very handy with a ________________.
  8. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  9. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  10. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  11. I'll be taking the ________________.
  12. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  13. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  14. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  15. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  16. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  17. He works in a ________________ mill.
  18. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  19. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  20. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  21. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  22. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  23. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  24. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.

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

Answer key

  1. pound — a weight
  2. suit — clothes
  3. pound — to hit hard
  4. spell — letters
  5. mouse — the animal
  6. suit — to fit
  7. saw — the tool
  8. bank — for money
  9. stick — a piece of wood
  10. saw — past of 'see'
  11. tube — the underground
  12. bank — for money
  13. tube — a container
  14. suit — in cards
  15. pound — for dogs
  16. mouse — for a computer
  17. saw — the tool
  18. stick — a piece of wood
  19. spell — a short time
  20. mouse — the animal
  21. spell — magic
  22. stick — to attach or keep to
  23. bank — of a river
  24. tube — in a tire

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