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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 116 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. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  2. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  3. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  4. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  5. Did you ________________ the meat?
  6. Have you found your soul ________________?
  7. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  8. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  9. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  10. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  11. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  12. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  13. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  14. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  15. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  16. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  17. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  18. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  19. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  20. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  21. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  22. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  23. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  24. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rock — to move gently
  2. rest — what's left
  3. pound — for dogs
  4. stick — a piece of wood
  5. season — to add flavour
  6. mate — a partner
  7. stick — to attach or keep to
  8. branch — of a bank
  9. rest — what's left
  10. staff — employees
  11. rest — a break
  12. rock — a stone
  13. branch — a division
  14. mate — a friend
  15. staff — employees
  16. mate — to breed
  17. branch — of a tree
  18. pound — a weight
  19. rock — music
  20. stick — a piece of wood
  21. season — of the year
  22. pound — to hit hard
  23. staff — a stick
  24. season — in sport

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