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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: jam · pound · spring · ground · bound · perch · track · chip

  1. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  2. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  3. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  4. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  5. There's no middle ________________.
  6. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  7. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  8. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  9. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  10. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  11. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  12. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  13. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  14. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  15. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  16. That was ________________ to happen.
  17. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  18. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  19. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  20. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  21. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  22. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  23. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  24. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.

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

Answer key

  1. pound — a weight
  2. jam — in traffic
  3. bound — obliged
  4. perch — for a bird
  5. ground — a position
  6. chip — for betting
  7. bound — tied together
  8. track — a song
  9. track — a path
  10. ground — crushed
  11. spring — a coil
  12. chip — to eat
  13. chip — in a computer
  14. spring — the season
  15. jam — a tight spot
  16. bound — certain
  17. perch — for a bird
  18. track — to keep track
  19. ground — the earth
  20. jam — to spread on bread
  21. pound — for dogs
  22. pound — to hit hard
  23. spring — of water
  24. perch — the fish

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