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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: band · pitch · ground · mouse · bay · current · wave · pound

  1. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  2. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  3. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  4. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  5. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  6. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  7. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  8. My mare is ________________ in color.
  9. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  10. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  11. There's no middle ________________.
  12. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  13. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  14. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  15. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  16. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  17. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  18. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  19. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  20. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  21. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  22. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  23. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  24. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.

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

Answer key

  1. pound — for dogs
  2. ground — the earth
  3. pound — to hit hard
  4. ground — crushed
  5. mouse — the animal
  6. bay — a part of the sea
  7. current — happening now
  8. bay — a horse colour
  9. band — a rubber band
  10. pitch — a sales talk
  11. ground — a position
  12. mouse — for a computer
  13. pound — a weight
  14. wave — with your hand
  15. wave — a sudden rise
  16. bay — to keep at bay
  17. current — electric
  18. pitch — a sports field
  19. band — a music group
  20. pitch — completely
  21. band — a ring
  22. wave — of the sea
  23. current — of water
  24. mouse — the animal

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