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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. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  3. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  4. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  5. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  6. Don't do anything ________________.
  7. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  8. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  9. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  10. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  11. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  12. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  13. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  14. The water is too ________________.
  15. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  16. The King held a masked ________________.
  17. That was ________________ to happen.
  18. When will it ________________ you to start?
  19. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  20. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  21. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  22. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  23. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  24. I seem to be developing a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pound — a weight
  2. pound — for dogs
  3. object — a thing
  4. bound — obliged
  5. rest — a break
  6. rash — hasty
  7. ball — a round shape
  8. bound — tied together
  9. suit — clothes
  10. suit — in cards
  11. object — to protest
  12. pound — to hit hard
  13. rest — what's left
  14. cold — not warm
  15. rash — a series
  16. ball — a dance
  17. bound — certain
  18. suit — to fit
  19. cold — the Cold War
  20. object — an aim
  21. rest — what's left
  22. cold — an illness
  23. ball — a great time
  24. rash — on the skin

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