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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: pound · spring · mouse · cabinet · coach · foot · sharp · press

  1. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  2. Have you met the new head ________________?
  3. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  4. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  5. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  6. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  7. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  8. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  9. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  10. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  11. What do you think of the new ________________?
  12. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  13. It's one o'clock ________________.
  14. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  15. Did you ________________ the button?
  16. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  17. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  18. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  19. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  20. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  21. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  22. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  23. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  24. This knife is not ________________ enough.

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

Answer key

  1. sharp — clever
  2. coach — a trainer
  3. pound — to hit hard
  4. foot — the bottom
  5. cabinet — a cupboard
  6. foot — part of the body
  7. press — newspapers
  8. mouse — the animal
  9. mouse — the animal
  10. spring — the season
  11. cabinet — ministers
  12. pound — for dogs
  13. sharp — exactly
  14. cabinet — ministers
  15. press — to push
  16. pound — a weight
  17. press — a publisher
  18. spring — of water
  19. foot — a measure
  20. mouse — for a computer
  21. coach — a trainer
  22. coach — pulled by horses
  23. spring — a coil
  24. sharp — with an edge

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