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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 120 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. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  3. That was ________________ to happen.
  4. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  5. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  6. My father caught me by the ________________.
  7. That was a fun ________________.
  8. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  9. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  10. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  11. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  12. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  13. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  14. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  15. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  16. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  17. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  18. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  19. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  20. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  21. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  22. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  23. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  24. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pound — a weight
  2. bear — to put up with
  3. bound — certain
  4. pound — to hit hard
  5. bound — tied together
  6. arm — part of the body
  7. game — a match
  8. mine — belonging to me
  9. mine — for digging
  10. bore — gave birth
  11. bear — the animal
  12. game — wild animals
  13. arm — a part of something
  14. pound — for dogs
  15. game — a kind of play
  16. bound — obliged
  17. vault — an arched ceiling
  18. vault — in gymnastics
  19. bore — to drill
  20. bore — to tire
  21. arm — part of the body
  22. bear — the animal
  23. mine — an explosive
  24. vault — a safe

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