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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: cue · spell · pound · can · ground · lean · kick · spring

  1. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  2. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  3. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  4. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  5. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  6. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  7. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  8. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  9. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  10. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  11. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  12. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  13. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  14. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  15. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  16. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  17. How do you ________________ your surname?
  18. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  19. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  20. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  21. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  22. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  23. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  24. There's no middle ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pound — a weight
  2. pound — to hit hard
  3. kick — with a leg
  4. ground — the earth
  5. lean — to rest against
  6. kick — in football
  7. ground — crushed
  8. cue — a signal
  9. cue — a hint
  10. spring — the season
  11. cue — for pool
  12. lean — to bend
  13. lean — thin
  14. kick — a thrill
  15. spring — a coil
  16. spell — magic
  17. spell — letters
  18. pound — for dogs
  19. spell — a short time
  20. can — a tin
  21. spring — of water
  22. can — a tin
  23. can — to be able to
  24. ground — a position

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