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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 in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  2. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  3. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  4. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  5. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  6. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  7. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  8. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  9. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  10. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  11. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  12. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  13. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  14. My mare is ________________ in color.
  15. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  16. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  17. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  18. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  19. I'll be taking the ________________.
  20. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  21. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  22. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  23. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  24. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.

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

Answer key

  1. pound — to hit hard
  2. pound — a weight
  3. pound — for dogs
  4. march — music
  5. march — the month
  6. rule — a law
  7. toast — the most admired
  8. face — to point toward
  9. bay — to keep at bay
  10. rule — government
  11. tube — a container
  12. wave — of the sea
  13. wave — with your hand
  14. bay — a horse colour
  15. rule — to rule out
  16. toast — bread
  17. face — part of the head
  18. toast — a drink to someone
  19. tube — the underground
  20. face — to confront
  21. wave — a sudden rise
  22. march — the month
  23. bay — a part of the sea
  24. tube — in a tire

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