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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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468
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 · fine · field · mug · root · drill · kick · can

  1. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  2. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  3. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  4. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  5. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  6. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  7. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  8. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  9. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  10. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  11. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  12. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  13. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  14. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  15. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  16. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  17. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  18. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  19. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  20. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  21. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  22. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  23. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  24. Where did you ________________ them?

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

Answer key

  1. pound — a weight
  2. can — a tin
  3. drill — the tool
  4. kick — with a leg
  5. pound — for dogs
  6. field — for sport
  7. can — to be able to
  8. mug — a cup
  9. fine — high quality
  10. drill — army training
  11. fine — all right
  12. kick — in football
  13. can — a tin
  14. kick — a thrill
  15. fine — a penalty
  16. field — a subject
  17. drill — a practice
  18. root — the cause
  19. pound — to hit hard
  20. root — of a word
  21. mug — a face
  22. root — of a plant
  23. field — farmland
  24. mug — to rob

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