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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. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  2. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  3. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  4. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  5. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  6. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  7. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  8. He is an ace ________________.
  9. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  10. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  11. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  12. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  13. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  14. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  15. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  16. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  17. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  18. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  19. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  20. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  21. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  22. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  23. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  24. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pound — for dogs
  2. chest — of your body
  3. chest — of your body
  4. band — a rubber band
  5. chest — a box
  6. can — a tin
  7. safe — out of danger
  8. pitcher — in baseball
  9. can — to be able to
  10. row — to paddle
  11. row — a quarrel
  12. bore — gave birth
  13. safe — a strongbox
  14. row — a line
  15. can — a tin
  16. safe — out of danger
  17. band — a ring
  18. pound — a weight
  19. pitcher — a jug
  20. pound — to hit hard
  21. bore — to drill
  22. bore — to tire
  23. pitcher — a jug
  24. band — a music group

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