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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: rock · pound · row · wound · pitcher · suit · mine · fine

  1. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  2. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  3. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  4. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  5. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  6. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  7. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  8. When will it ________________ you to start?
  9. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  10. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  11. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  12. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  13. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  14. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  15. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  16. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  17. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  18. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  19. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  20. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  21. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  22. He is an ace ________________.
  23. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  24. She's sitting on a gold ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wound — past of 'wind'
  2. fine — high quality
  3. suit — in cards
  4. row — to paddle
  5. mine — belonging to me
  6. fine — all right
  7. rock — music
  8. suit — to fit
  9. pitcher — a jug
  10. pound — a weight
  11. wound — an injury
  12. rock — a stone
  13. mine — an explosive
  14. suit — clothes
  15. pound — for dogs
  16. wound — an injury
  17. fine — a penalty
  18. row — a line
  19. rock — to move gently
  20. pound — to hit hard
  21. pitcher — a jug
  22. pitcher — in baseball
  23. row — a quarrel
  24. mine — for digging

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