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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: scale · last · deal · pound · swing · cabinet · toast · bound

  1. That was ________________ to happen.
  2. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  3. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  4. False peace will not ________________.
  5. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  6. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  7. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  8. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  9. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  10. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  11. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  12. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  13. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  14. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  15. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  16. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  17. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  18. David sat on the ________________.
  19. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  20. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  21. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  22. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  23. What do you think of the new ________________?
  24. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.

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

Answer key

  1. bound — certain
  2. deal — a big deal
  3. scale — size or range
  4. last — to go on
  5. bound — obliged
  6. toast — the most admired
  7. deal — to handle
  8. swing — music
  9. deal — an agreement
  10. toast — bread
  11. pound — to hit hard
  12. cabinet — a cupboard
  13. last — final
  14. toast — a drink to someone
  15. last — finally
  16. pound — for dogs
  17. swing — in golf
  18. swing — to play on
  19. scale — for weighing
  20. scale — in music
  21. bound — tied together
  22. cabinet — ministers
  23. cabinet — ministers
  24. pound — a weight

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