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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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Word bank
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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: pound · staff · wind · cabinet · firm · foot

  1. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  2. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  3. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  4. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  5. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  6. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  7. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  8. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  9. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  10. What do you think of the new ________________?
  11. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  12. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  13. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  14. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  15. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  16. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  17. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  18. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.

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

Answer key

  1. wind — to turn a key
  2. foot — a measure
  3. cabinet — ministers
  4. wind — moving air
  5. foot — part of the body
  6. pound — to hit hard
  7. pound — for dogs
  8. cabinet — a cupboard
  9. wind — moving air
  10. cabinet — ministers
  11. firm — a company
  12. staff — employees
  13. staff — a stick
  14. staff — employees
  15. firm — decided
  16. firm — steady
  17. pound — a weight
  18. foot — the bottom

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