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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. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  2. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  3. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  4. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  5. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  6. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  7. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  8. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  9. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  10. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  11. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  12. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  13. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  14. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  15. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  16. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  17. That was ________________ to happen.
  18. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  19. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  20. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  21. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  22. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  23. We're on a ________________ here.
  24. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.

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

Answer key

  1. bound — tied together
  2. chair — a leader
  3. chair — a professorship
  4. pound — a weight
  5. foot — a measure
  6. pound — to hit hard
  7. present — there
  8. foot — the bottom
  9. foot — part of the body
  10. wake — a trail
  11. present — the time now
  12. bound — obliged
  13. wake — to stop sleeping
  14. wake — before a funeral
  15. roll — a list
  16. pound — for dogs
  17. bound — certain
  18. chair — to sit on
  19. roll — a cake
  20. prune — the fruit
  21. prune — to trim
  22. present — a gift
  23. roll — on a roll
  24. prune — to trim

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