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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. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  3. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  4. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  5. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  6. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  7. When will it ________________ you to start?
  8. This piece is in a major ________________.
  9. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  10. I can't ________________ this cold.
  11. I'll be taking the ________________.
  12. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  13. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  14. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  15. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  16. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  17. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  18. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  19. The ________________ went through the wall.
  20. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  21. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  22. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  23. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  24. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.

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

Answer key

  1. pound — for dogs
  2. suit — in cards
  3. foot — the bottom
  4. stand — for spectators
  5. foot — a measure
  6. pound — to hit hard
  7. suit — to fit
  8. key — in music
  9. wake — a trail
  10. stand — to bear
  11. tube — the underground
  12. pound — a weight
  13. foot — part of the body
  14. tube — in a tire
  15. stand — on your feet
  16. tube — a container
  17. wake — before a funeral
  18. suit — clothes
  19. nail — for a hammer
  20. nail — for a hammer
  21. key — the most important part
  22. nail — on a finger
  23. key — for a lock
  24. wake — to stop sleeping

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