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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 · key · band · jam · mark · foot · roll · rock

  1. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  2. This piece is in a major ________________.
  3. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  4. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  5. We're on a ________________ here.
  6. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  7. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  8. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  9. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  10. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  11. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  12. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  13. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  14. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  15. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  16. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  17. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  18. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  19. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  20. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  21. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  22. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  23. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  24. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — a grade
  2. key — in music
  3. band — a ring
  4. band — a rubber band
  5. roll — on a roll
  6. foot — the bottom
  7. jam — in traffic
  8. key — for a lock
  9. jam — to spread on bread
  10. foot — a measure
  11. rock — to move gently
  12. band — a music group
  13. rock — music
  14. mark — to pay attention
  15. roll — a cake
  16. mark — a trace
  17. jam — a tight spot
  18. rock — a stone
  19. pound — to hit hard
  20. key — the most important part
  21. roll — a list
  22. foot — part of the body
  23. pound — for dogs
  24. pound — a weight

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