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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 116 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: sharp · squash · bound · ball · pound · row · mouse · cap

  1. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  2. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  3. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  4. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  5. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  6. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  7. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  8. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  9. It's one o'clock ________________.
  10. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  11. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  12. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  13. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  14. The King held a masked ________________.
  15. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  16. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  17. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  18. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  19. That was ________________ to happen.
  20. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  21. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  22. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  23. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  24. He's quite ________________, isn't he?

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

Answer key

  1. cap — of ice
  2. cap — a lid
  3. mouse — the animal
  4. bound — obliged
  5. mouse — for a computer
  6. mouse — the animal
  7. cap — a hat
  8. pound — for dogs
  9. sharp — exactly
  10. row — to paddle
  11. row — a line
  12. sharp — with an edge
  13. bound — tied together
  14. ball — a dance
  15. squash — the vegetable
  16. ball — a great time
  17. squash — to crush
  18. ball — a round shape
  19. bound — certain
  20. pound — a weight
  21. squash — the sport
  22. row — a quarrel
  23. pound — to hit hard
  24. sharp — clever

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