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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. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  2. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  3. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  4. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  5. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  6. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  7. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  8. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  9. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  10. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  11. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  12. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  13. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  14. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  15. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  16. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  17. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  18. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  19. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  20. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  21. Have you found your soul ________________?
  22. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  23. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  24. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.

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

Answer key

  1. pound — to hit hard
  2. bass — the fish
  3. stick — to attach or keep to
  4. pound — a weight
  5. bore — to tire
  6. capital — money
  7. content — the amount
  8. bore — gave birth
  9. stick — a piece of wood
  10. pound — for dogs
  11. mate — to breed
  12. capital — a city
  13. foot — part of the body
  14. content — videos and posts
  15. bass — low music
  16. foot — the bottom
  17. content — happy
  18. mate — a friend
  19. stick — a piece of wood
  20. bass — the instrument
  21. mate — a partner
  22. bore — to drill
  23. foot — a measure
  24. capital — a big letter

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