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

Word bank: pound · root · wound · stand · content · file · key · ruler

  1. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  2. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  3. I can't ________________ this cold.
  4. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  5. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  6. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  7. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  8. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  9. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  10. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  11. This piece is in a major ________________.
  12. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  13. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  14. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  15. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  16. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  17. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  18. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  19. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  20. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  21. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  22. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  23. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  24. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.

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

Answer key

  1. key — for a lock
  2. ruler — for measuring
  3. stand — to bear
  4. content — happy
  5. root — of a plant
  6. file — a line of people
  7. root — of a word
  8. wound — an injury
  9. stand — on your feet
  10. pound — for dogs
  11. key — in music
  12. file — a tool
  13. pound — a weight
  14. ruler — for measuring
  15. ruler — a monarch
  16. pound — to hit hard
  17. wound — an injury
  18. key — the most important part
  19. wound — past of 'wind'
  20. content — the amount
  21. stand — for spectators
  22. content — videos and posts
  23. root — the cause
  24. file — a document

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