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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. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  3. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  4. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  5. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  6. Have you found your soul ________________?
  7. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  8. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  9. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  10. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  11. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  12. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  13. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  14. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  15. What do you think of the new ________________?
  16. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  17. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  18. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  19. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  20. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  21. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  22. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  23. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  24. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.

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

Answer key

  1. pound — a weight
  2. safe — a strongbox
  3. pound — to hit hard
  4. stem — of a plant
  5. mate — a friend
  6. mate — a partner
  7. safe — out of danger
  8. wound — an injury
  9. stem — a stem cell
  10. cabinet — a cupboard
  11. wound — past of 'wind'
  12. fan — to cool the air
  13. squash — to crush
  14. safe — out of danger
  15. cabinet — ministers
  16. squash — the vegetable
  17. squash — the sport
  18. fan — a supporter
  19. cabinet — ministers
  20. stem — to come from
  21. mate — to breed
  22. pound — for dogs
  23. wound — an injury
  24. fan — a supporter

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