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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: mug · bear · pound · season · scale · fine · suit · cold

  1. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  2. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  3. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  4. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  5. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  6. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  7. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  8. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  9. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  10. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  11. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  12. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  13. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  14. The water is too ________________.
  15. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  16. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  17. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  18. When will it ________________ you to start?
  19. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  20. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  21. Where did you ________________ them?
  22. Did you ________________ the meat?
  23. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  24. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.

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

Answer key

  1. pound — to hit hard
  2. fine — a penalty
  3. bear — the animal
  4. fine — high quality
  5. pound — a weight
  6. mug — a cup
  7. season — in sport
  8. fine — all right
  9. scale — size or range
  10. cold — the Cold War
  11. scale — for weighing
  12. cold — an illness
  13. season — of the year
  14. cold — not warm
  15. suit — clothes
  16. bear — the animal
  17. mug — a face
  18. suit — to fit
  19. suit — in cards
  20. bear — to put up with
  21. mug — to rob
  22. season — to add flavour
  23. scale — in music
  24. pound — for dogs

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