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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: bear · rush · firm · fine · pound · cell · row · foot

  1. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  2. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  3. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  4. He was locked up in a ________________.
  5. That must've been a ________________.
  6. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  7. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  8. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  9. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  10. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  11. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  12. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  13. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  14. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  15. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  16. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  17. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  18. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  19. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  20. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  21. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  22. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  23. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  24. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pound — a weight
  2. row — to paddle
  3. row — a line
  4. cell — in a prison
  5. rush — a thrill
  6. pound — to hit hard
  7. rush — hurry
  8. bear — to put up with
  9. fine — all right
  10. foot — part of the body
  11. pound — for dogs
  12. bear — the animal
  13. row — a quarrel
  14. cell — in biology
  15. fine — a penalty
  16. firm — decided
  17. foot — a measure
  18. fine — high quality
  19. firm — a company
  20. rush — to hurry
  21. firm — steady
  22. foot — the bottom
  23. cell — a phone
  24. bear — the animal

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