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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 · object · mouse · calf · wound · content · jam · rest

  1. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  2. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  3. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  4. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  5. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  6. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  7. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  8. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  9. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  10. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  11. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  12. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  13. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  14. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  15. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  16. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  17. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  18. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  19. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  20. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  21. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  22. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  23. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  24. I would like to have a ________________ here.

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

Answer key

  1. pound — to hit hard
  2. pound — a weight
  3. wound — past of 'wind'
  4. calf — a young animal
  5. object — an aim
  6. content — videos and posts
  7. content — the amount
  8. calf — a young animal
  9. calf — of the leg
  10. wound — an injury
  11. mouse — the animal
  12. wound — an injury
  13. jam — to spread on bread
  14. rest — what's left
  15. jam — in traffic
  16. pound — for dogs
  17. mouse — for a computer
  18. content — happy
  19. rest — what's left
  20. mouse — the animal
  21. object — a thing
  22. jam — a tight spot
  23. object — to protest
  24. rest — a break

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