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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: key · squash · present · pound · dip · wound · suit · bore

  1. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  2. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  3. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  4. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  5. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  6. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  7. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  8. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  9. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  10. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  11. When will it ________________ you to start?
  12. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  13. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  14. This piece is in a major ________________.
  15. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  16. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  17. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  18. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  19. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  20. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  21. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  22. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  23. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  24. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.

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

Answer key

  1. pound — for dogs
  2. bore — to tire
  3. pound — to hit hard
  4. bore — to drill
  5. suit — in cards
  6. present — there
  7. dip — to sink
  8. present — a gift
  9. squash — to crush
  10. key — for a lock
  11. suit — to fit
  12. wound — past of 'wind'
  13. bore — gave birth
  14. key — in music
  15. pound — a weight
  16. suit — clothes
  17. present — the time now
  18. key — the most important part
  19. squash — the sport
  20. squash — the vegetable
  21. wound — an injury
  22. wound — an injury
  23. dip — to dunk
  24. dip — a sauce

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