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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 · stand · pit · scale · deal · bore · court · key

  1. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  2. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  3. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  4. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  5. This piece is in a major ________________.
  6. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  7. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  8. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  9. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  10. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  11. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  12. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  13. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  14. I can't ________________ this cold.
  15. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  16. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  17. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  18. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  19. The ball is in your ________________.
  20. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  21. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  22. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  23. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  24. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — a hole
  2. stand — on your feet
  3. scale — for weighing
  4. pound — for dogs
  5. key — in music
  6. pound — to hit hard
  7. bore — to tire
  8. pit — a fruit stone
  9. stand — for spectators
  10. key — the most important part
  11. scale — size or range
  12. deal — an agreement
  13. deal — to handle
  14. stand — to bear
  15. bore — gave birth
  16. pound — a weight
  17. key — for a lock
  18. court — of law
  19. court — for sport
  20. pit — in a race
  21. court — of a king
  22. deal — a big deal
  23. scale — in music
  24. bore — to drill

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