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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. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  3. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  4. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  5. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  6. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  7. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  8. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  9. I've got to change the light ________________.
  10. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  11. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  12. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  13. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  14. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  15. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  16. I'll be taking the ________________.
  17. I can't ________________ this cold.
  18. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  19. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  20. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  21. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  22. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  23. The light ________________ burned out.
  24. This looks like a gunshot ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pound — a weight
  2. jam — a tight spot
  3. tube — a container
  4. jam — in traffic
  5. wave — a sudden rise
  6. wave — with your hand
  7. tube — in a tire
  8. wound — an injury
  9. bulb — for light
  10. pound — for dogs
  11. wound — past of 'wind'
  12. pound — to hit hard
  13. bulb — of a plant
  14. pass — a permit
  15. wave — of the sea
  16. tube — the underground
  17. stand — to bear
  18. stand — for spectators
  19. pass — to succeed
  20. stand — on your feet
  21. pass — to spend time
  22. jam — to spread on bread
  23. bulb — for light
  24. wound — an injury

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