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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: pound · stand · foot · fine · date · current · bowl · chair

  1. Have you settled on a ________________?
  2. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  3. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  4. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  5. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  6. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  7. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  8. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  9. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  10. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  11. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  12. I can't ________________ this cold.
  13. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  14. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  15. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  16. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  17. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  18. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  19. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  20. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  21. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  22. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  23. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  24. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.

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

Answer key

  1. date — on the calendar
  2. date — on the calendar
  3. pound — a weight
  4. bowl — to roll
  5. foot — a measure
  6. stand — for spectators
  7. bowl — a dish
  8. pound — to hit hard
  9. bowl — a football final
  10. date — the fruit
  11. foot — part of the body
  12. stand — to bear
  13. chair — to sit on
  14. fine — all right
  15. chair — a professorship
  16. stand — on your feet
  17. fine — high quality
  18. fine — a penalty
  19. current — of water
  20. chair — a leader
  21. current — electric
  22. foot — the bottom
  23. pound — for dogs
  24. current — happening now

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