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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 · cabinet · pit · bay · ball · content · land · stand

  1. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  2. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  3. My mare is ________________ in color.
  4. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  5. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  6. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  7. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  8. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  9. The King held a masked ________________.
  10. When are we going to ________________?
  11. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  12. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  13. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  14. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  15. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  16. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  17. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  18. What do you think of the new ________________?
  19. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  20. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  21. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  22. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  23. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  24. I can't ________________ this cold.

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — ministers
  2. pit — a fruit stone
  3. bay — a horse colour
  4. land — ground
  5. bay — to keep at bay
  6. land — a country
  7. pound — to hit hard
  8. ball — a round shape
  9. ball — a dance
  10. land — to come down
  11. content — the amount
  12. pound — a weight
  13. cabinet — a cupboard
  14. content — videos and posts
  15. stand — on your feet
  16. content — happy
  17. stand — for spectators
  18. cabinet — ministers
  19. bay — a part of the sea
  20. pit — in a race
  21. pound — for dogs
  22. ball — a great time
  23. pit — a hole
  24. stand — to bear

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