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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 · lean · snap · pop · patient · cabinet · racket · leaves

  1. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  2. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  3. We're almost out of ________________.
  4. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  5. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  6. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  7. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  8. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  9. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  10. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  11. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  12. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  13. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  14. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  15. What do you think of the new ________________?
  16. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  17. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  18. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  19. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  20. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  21. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  22. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  23. You don't need to ________________ round.
  24. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.

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

Answer key

  1. pound — a weight
  2. lean — thin
  3. pop — soda
  4. pound — to hit hard
  5. pop — music
  6. cabinet — ministers
  7. snap — to click
  8. leaves — lets stay
  9. racket — for tennis
  10. patient — a sick person
  11. lean — to bend
  12. racket — for tennis
  13. patient — a sick person
  14. leaves — of a tree
  15. cabinet — ministers
  16. leaves — to go away
  17. patient — calm and waiting
  18. snap — to speak sharply
  19. snap — to snap out of it
  20. racket — a loud noise
  21. cabinet — a cupboard
  22. pound — for dogs
  23. pop — to visit
  24. lean — to rest against

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