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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 116 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 works in a ________________ mill.
  2. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  3. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  4. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  5. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  6. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  7. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  8. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  9. I can't ________________ this cold.
  10. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  11. That was ________________ to happen.
  12. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  13. I'll be taking the ________________.
  14. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  15. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  16. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  17. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  18. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  19. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  20. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  21. She's very handy with a ________________.
  22. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  23. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  24. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.

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

Answer key

  1. saw — the tool
  2. perch — the fish
  3. wound — an injury
  4. pound — for dogs
  5. perch — for a bird
  6. tube — in a tire
  7. cue — for pool
  8. bound — tied together
  9. stand — to bear
  10. tube — a container
  11. bound — certain
  12. wound — past of 'wind'
  13. tube — the underground
  14. wound — an injury
  15. cue — a hint
  16. perch — for a bird
  17. stand — for spectators
  18. cue — a signal
  19. stand — on your feet
  20. pound — a weight
  21. saw — the tool
  22. saw — past of 'see'
  23. bound — obliged
  24. pound — to hit hard

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