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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: mug · suit · march · root · pound · rock · lean · game

  1. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  2. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  3. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  4. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  5. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  6. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  7. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  8. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  9. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  10. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  11. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  12. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  13. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  14. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  15. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  16. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  17. When will it ________________ you to start?
  18. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  19. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  20. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  21. That was a fun ________________.
  22. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  23. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  24. Where did you ________________ them?

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

Answer key

  1. pound — a weight
  2. rock — music
  3. pound — for dogs
  4. root — of a word
  5. root — of a plant
  6. suit — in cards
  7. root — the cause
  8. mug — a face
  9. rock — to move gently
  10. game — wild animals
  11. mug — a cup
  12. march — music
  13. lean — to rest against
  14. rock — a stone
  15. game — a kind of play
  16. suit — clothes
  17. suit — to fit
  18. march — the month
  19. lean — thin
  20. pound — to hit hard
  21. game — a match
  22. march — the month
  23. lean — to bend
  24. mug — to rob

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