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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 · can · scale · band · ground · stand · root · deal

  1. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  2. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  3. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  4. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  5. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  6. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  7. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  8. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  9. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  10. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  11. I can't ________________ this cold.
  12. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  13. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  14. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  15. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  16. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  17. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  18. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  19. There's no middle ________________.
  20. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  21. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  22. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  23. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  24. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.

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

Answer key

  1. band — a rubber band
  2. pound — a weight
  3. deal — an agreement
  4. ground — the earth
  5. can — a tin
  6. root — the cause
  7. can — to be able to
  8. band — a ring
  9. ground — crushed
  10. band — a music group
  11. stand — to bear
  12. pound — for dogs
  13. stand — for spectators
  14. scale — for weighing
  15. scale — size or range
  16. stand — on your feet
  17. scale — in music
  18. deal — a big deal
  19. ground — a position
  20. can — a tin
  21. pound — to hit hard
  22. root — of a word
  23. deal — to handle
  24. root — of a plant

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