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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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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: object · jam · nail · deal · chest · pound · toast · bark

  1. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  2. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  3. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  4. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  5. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  6. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  7. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  8. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  9. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  10. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  11. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  12. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  13. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  14. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  15. The ________________ went through the wall.
  16. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  17. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  18. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  19. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  20. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  21. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  22. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  23. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  24. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.

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

Answer key

  1. object — to protest
  2. pound — a weight
  3. jam — in traffic
  4. pound — for dogs
  5. deal — to handle
  6. nail — on a finger
  7. jam — to spread on bread
  8. chest — a box
  9. object — an aim
  10. object — a thing
  11. pound — to hit hard
  12. bark — to shout
  13. toast — the most admired
  14. deal — a big deal
  15. nail — for a hammer
  16. bark — a dog's sound
  17. jam — a tight spot
  18. chest — of your body
  19. deal — an agreement
  20. bark — of a tree
  21. toast — a drink to someone
  22. nail — for a hammer
  23. chest — of your body
  24. toast — bread

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