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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 · chest · pop · lie · racket · cap · fan · suit

  1. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  2. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  3. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  4. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  5. You don't need to ________________ round.
  6. We're almost out of ________________.
  7. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  8. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  9. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  10. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  11. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  12. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  13. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  14. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  15. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  16. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  17. When will it ________________ you to start?
  18. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  19. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  20. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  21. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  22. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  23. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  24. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.

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

Answer key

  1. pound — a weight
  2. chest — of your body
  3. cap — a lid
  4. fan — to cool the air
  5. pop — to visit
  6. pop — soda
  7. pound — to hit hard
  8. fan — a supporter
  9. racket — for tennis
  10. pound — for dogs
  11. lie — an untruth
  12. lie — to recline
  13. fan — a supporter
  14. suit — in cards
  15. pop — music
  16. cap — of ice
  17. suit — to fit
  18. lie — an untruth
  19. racket — for tennis
  20. racket — a loud noise
  21. chest — of your body
  22. cap — a hat
  23. suit — clothes
  24. chest — a box

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