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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: content · bore · fine · wound · pound · object · pop · toast

  1. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  2. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  3. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  4. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  5. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  6. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  7. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  8. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  9. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  10. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  11. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  12. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  13. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  14. We're almost out of ________________.
  15. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  16. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  17. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  18. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  19. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  20. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  21. You don't need to ________________ round.
  22. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  23. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  24. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.

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

Answer key

  1. wound — past of 'wind'
  2. content — the amount
  3. bore — to drill
  4. content — videos and posts
  5. toast — bread
  6. object — to protest
  7. bore — to tire
  8. object — an aim
  9. content — happy
  10. pound — a weight
  11. pop — music
  12. wound — an injury
  13. fine — a penalty
  14. pop — soda
  15. fine — all right
  16. pound — for dogs
  17. toast — the most admired
  18. wound — an injury
  19. fine — high quality
  20. bore — gave birth
  21. pop — to visit
  22. toast — a drink to someone
  23. pound — to hit hard
  24. object — a thing

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