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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: pound · trunk · sharp · wave · stick · stand · present · band

  1. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  2. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  3. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  4. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  5. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  6. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  7. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  8. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  9. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  10. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  11. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  12. It's one o'clock ________________.
  13. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  14. I can't ________________ this cold.
  15. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  16. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  17. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  18. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  19. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  20. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  21. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  22. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  23. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  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. pound — a weight
  2. pound — for dogs
  3. trunk — of an elephant
  4. present — the time now
  5. stand — on your feet
  6. band — a rubber band
  7. stand — for spectators
  8. trunk — of a car
  9. stick — to attach or keep to
  10. trunk — of a tree
  11. wave — with your hand
  12. sharp — exactly
  13. present — a gift
  14. stand — to bear
  15. stick — a piece of wood
  16. present — there
  17. sharp — with an edge
  18. pound — to hit hard
  19. band — a music group
  20. band — a ring
  21. stick — a piece of wood
  22. wave — a sudden rise
  23. wave — of the sea
  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