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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 from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: field · key · pound · lean · rock · pop

  1. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  2. You don't need to ________________ round.
  3. We're almost out of ________________.
  4. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  5. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  6. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  7. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  8. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  9. This piece is in a major ________________.
  10. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  11. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  12. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  13. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  14. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  15. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  16. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  17. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  18. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pound — a weight
  2. pop — to visit
  3. pop — soda
  4. key — the most important part
  5. lean — to rest against
  6. lean — thin
  7. field — for sport
  8. field — a subject
  9. key — in music
  10. pound — for dogs
  11. rock — a stone
  12. rock — to move gently
  13. lean — to bend
  14. pound — to hit hard
  15. rock — music
  16. pop — music
  17. key — for a lock
  18. field — farmland

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