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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 120 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: stand · mine · tube · bound · pound · ball · perch · pass

  1. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  2. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  3. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  4. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  5. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  6. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  7. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  8. The King held a masked ________________.
  9. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  10. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  11. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  12. I can't ________________ this cold.
  13. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  14. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  15. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  16. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  17. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  18. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  19. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  20. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  21. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  22. I'll be taking the ________________.
  23. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  24. That was ________________ to happen.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a great time
  2. ball — a round shape
  3. bound — obliged
  4. pound — to hit hard
  5. perch — for a bird
  6. perch — the fish
  7. pass — a permit
  8. ball — a dance
  9. stand — on your feet
  10. pound — a weight
  11. stand — for spectators
  12. stand — to bear
  13. bound — tied together
  14. mine — for digging
  15. pass — to succeed
  16. mine — an explosive
  17. pound — for dogs
  18. mine — belonging to me
  19. tube — a container
  20. pass — to spend time
  21. tube — in a tire
  22. tube — the underground
  23. perch — for a bird
  24. bound — certain

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