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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: spell · pound · object · hide · bound · content · board · scale

  1. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  2. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  3. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  4. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  5. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  6. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  7. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  8. That was ________________ to happen.
  9. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  10. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  11. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  12. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  13. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  14. How do you ________________ your surname?
  15. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  16. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  17. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  18. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  19. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  20. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  21. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  22. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  23. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  24. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. spell — a short time
  2. spell — magic
  3. bound — obliged
  4. scale — in music
  5. object — to protest
  6. board — a committee
  7. pound — a weight
  8. bound — certain
  9. pound — to hit hard
  10. board — to get on
  11. hide — to keep secret
  12. object — a thing
  13. board — a flat piece
  14. spell — letters
  15. hide — to keep secret
  16. content — the amount
  17. bound — tied together
  18. scale — size or range
  19. scale — for weighing
  20. content — videos and posts
  21. hide — animal skin
  22. pound — for dogs
  23. object — an aim
  24. content — happy

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