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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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 · scale · key · root · bound · date · stock · pit

  1. That was ________________ to happen.
  2. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  3. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  4. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  5. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  6. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  7. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  8. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  9. Have you settled on a ________________?
  10. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  11. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  12. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  13. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  14. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  15. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  16. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  17. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  18. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  19. The ________________ market has crashed.
  20. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  21. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  22. This piece is in a major ________________.
  23. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  24. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.

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

Answer key

  1. bound — certain
  2. pit — a hole
  3. scale — in music
  4. root — of a plant
  5. bound — obliged
  6. scale — size or range
  7. date — on the calendar
  8. stock — a soup base
  9. date — on the calendar
  10. pound — for dogs
  11. scale — for weighing
  12. root — of a word
  13. bound — tied together
  14. pit — a fruit stone
  15. root — the cause
  16. stock — goods
  17. pound — a weight
  18. pit — in a race
  19. stock — shares
  20. date — the fruit
  21. key — the most important part
  22. key — in music
  23. key — for a lock
  24. pound — to hit hard

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