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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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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: game · foot · mouse · tear · toast · pound · bank · bound

  1. That was a fun ________________.
  2. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  3. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  4. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  5. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  6. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  7. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  8. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  9. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  10. That was ________________ to happen.
  11. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  12. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  13. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  14. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  15. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  16. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  17. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  18. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  19. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  20. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  21. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  22. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  23. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  24. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.

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

Answer key

  1. game — a match
  2. foot — part of the body
  3. foot — the bottom
  4. bound — tied together
  5. bank — for money
  6. pound — to hit hard
  7. toast — the most admired
  8. mouse — the animal
  9. pound — a weight
  10. bound — certain
  11. mouse — for a computer
  12. bank — of a river
  13. tear — from crying
  14. tear — from crying
  15. mouse — the animal
  16. bank — for money
  17. bound — obliged
  18. pound — for dogs
  19. toast — a drink to someone
  20. tear — to rip
  21. game — a kind of play
  22. foot — a measure
  23. game — wild animals
  24. toast — bread

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