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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. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  3. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  4. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  5. There's no middle ________________.
  6. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  7. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  8. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  9. I can't ________________ this cold.
  10. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  11. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  12. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  13. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  14. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  15. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  16. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  17. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  18. The ________________ went through the wall.
  19. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  20. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  21. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  22. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  23. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  24. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.

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

Answer key

  1. pound — a weight
  2. lean — to bend
  3. nail — for a hammer
  4. lean — to rest against
  5. ground — a position
  6. craft — boats
  7. stand — for spectators
  8. nail — on a finger
  9. stand — to bear
  10. pound — to hit hard
  11. stand — on your feet
  12. craft — a skill
  13. pound — for dogs
  14. object — an aim
  15. mark — a grade
  16. object — to protest
  17. mark — a trace
  18. nail — for a hammer
  19. ground — the earth
  20. lean — thin
  21. object — a thing
  22. mark — to pay attention
  23. ground — crushed
  24. craft — a handicraft

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