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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. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  3. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  4. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  5. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  6. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  7. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  8. When will it ________________ you to start?
  9. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  10. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  11. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  12. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  13. That was ________________ to happen.
  14. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  15. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  16. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  17. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  18. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  19. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  20. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  21. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  22. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  23. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  24. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pound — a weight
  2. fall — to drop
  3. suit — in cards
  4. patient — a sick person
  5. pound — to hit hard
  6. fine — a penalty
  7. stick — to attach or keep to
  8. suit — to fit
  9. fine — high quality
  10. suit — clothes
  11. pitch — a sports field
  12. patient — a sick person
  13. bound — certain
  14. pitch — completely
  15. pound — for dogs
  16. bound — obliged
  17. fall — the season
  18. fine — all right
  19. bound — tied together
  20. pitch — a sales talk
  21. patient — calm and waiting
  22. fall — to drop
  23. stick — a piece of wood
  24. stick — a piece of wood

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