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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. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  2. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  3. She's very handy with a ________________.
  4. He works in a ________________ mill.
  5. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  6. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  7. That was ________________ to happen.
  8. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  9. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  10. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  11. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  12. He is an ace ________________.
  13. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  14. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  15. It's one o'clock ________________.
  16. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  17. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  18. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  19. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  20. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  21. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  22. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  23. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  24. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.

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

Answer key

  1. pound — for dogs
  2. pound — a weight
  3. saw — the tool
  4. saw — the tool
  5. bore — to tire
  6. mouse — the animal
  7. bound — certain
  8. net — for catching
  9. mouse — the animal
  10. saw — past of 'see'
  11. bore — to drill
  12. pitcher — in baseball
  13. pitcher — a jug
  14. mouse — for a computer
  15. sharp — exactly
  16. net — after costs
  17. pound — to hit hard
  18. net — in sport
  19. pitcher — a jug
  20. bound — obliged
  21. sharp — with an edge
  22. bore — gave birth
  23. sharp — clever
  24. bound — tied together

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