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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. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  2. That was ________________ to happen.
  3. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  4. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  5. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  6. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  7. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  8. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  9. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  10. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  11. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  12. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  13. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  14. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  15. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  16. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  17. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  18. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  19. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  20. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  21. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  22. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  23. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  24. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.

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

Answer key

  1. foot — a measure
  2. bound — certain
  3. foot — part of the body
  4. patient — a sick person
  5. pound — a weight
  6. pitch — completely
  7. patient — calm and waiting
  8. squash — to crush
  9. fork — in a road
  10. track — a path
  11. track — to keep track
  12. track — a song
  13. fork — a garden tool
  14. fork — to eat with
  15. pitch — a sales talk
  16. patient — a sick person
  17. squash — the sport
  18. foot — the bottom
  19. bound — tied together
  20. bound — obliged
  21. pound — to hit hard
  22. pitch — a sports field
  23. squash — the vegetable
  24. pound — for dogs

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