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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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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: hand · kick · stand · mug · content · pound · bear · key

  1. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  2. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  3. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  4. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  5. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  6. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  7. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  8. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  9. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  10. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  11. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  12. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  13. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  14. Where did you ________________ them?
  15. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  16. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  17. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  18. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  19. I can't ________________ this cold.
  20. This piece is in a major ________________.
  21. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  22. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  23. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  24. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.

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

Answer key

  1. pound — a weight
  2. content — videos and posts
  3. mug — a cup
  4. bear — the animal
  5. stand — for spectators
  6. content — happy
  7. kick — a thrill
  8. content — the amount
  9. pound — for dogs
  10. pound — to hit hard
  11. kick — with a leg
  12. stand — on your feet
  13. mug — a face
  14. mug — to rob
  15. hand — part of the body
  16. hand — help
  17. bear — the animal
  18. key — for a lock
  19. stand — to bear
  20. key — in music
  21. key — the most important part
  22. bear — to put up with
  23. hand — in cards
  24. kick — in football

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