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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. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  2. That was ________________ to happen.
  3. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  4. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  5. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  6. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  7. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  8. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  9. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  10. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  11. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  12. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  13. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  14. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  15. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  16. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  17. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  18. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  19. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  20. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  21. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  22. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  23. It's one o'clock ________________.
  24. I can't ________________ this cold.

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

Answer key

  1. pound — for dogs
  2. bound — certain
  3. content — the amount
  4. content — happy
  5. deal — to handle
  6. foot — part of the body
  7. bound — tied together
  8. foot — the bottom
  9. stand — for spectators
  10. root — the cause
  11. content — videos and posts
  12. stand — on your feet
  13. pound — to hit hard
  14. deal — an agreement
  15. root — of a plant
  16. pound — a weight
  17. foot — a measure
  18. sharp — with an edge
  19. root — of a word
  20. bound — obliged
  21. sharp — clever
  22. deal — a big deal
  23. sharp — exactly
  24. stand — to bear

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