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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. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  2. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  3. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  4. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  5. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  6. You don't need to ________________ round.
  7. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  8. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  9. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  10. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  11. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  12. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  13. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  14. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  15. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  16. That was ________________ to happen.
  17. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  18. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  19. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  20. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  21. What do you think of the new ________________?
  22. We're almost out of ________________.
  23. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  24. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.

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

Answer key

  1. bound — obliged
  2. pound — to hit hard
  3. pound — for dogs
  4. pound — a weight
  5. perch — for a bird
  6. pop — to visit
  7. can — a tin
  8. pop — music
  9. can — a tin
  10. object — a thing
  11. bound — tied together
  12. cabinet — a cupboard
  13. can — to be able to
  14. perch — for a bird
  15. object — an aim
  16. bound — certain
  17. perch — the fish
  18. object — to protest
  19. hand — help
  20. hand — in cards
  21. cabinet — ministers
  22. pop — soda
  23. hand — part of the body
  24. cabinet — ministers

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