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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. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  2. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  3. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  4. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  5. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  6. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  7. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  8. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  9. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  10. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  11. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  12. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  13. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  14. We're almost out of ________________.
  15. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  16. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  17. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  18. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  19. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  20. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  21. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  22. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  23. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  24. You don't need to ________________ round.

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

Answer key

  1. pound — a weight
  2. racket — a loud noise
  3. patient — a sick person
  4. leaves — to go away
  5. patient — a sick person
  6. pound — to hit hard
  7. racket — for tennis
  8. branch — a division
  9. leaves — of a tree
  10. patient — calm and waiting
  11. rest — what's left
  12. leaves — lets stay
  13. racket — for tennis
  14. pop — soda
  15. branch — of a tree
  16. rest — what's left
  17. cap — a hat
  18. cap — of ice
  19. pound — for dogs
  20. pop — music
  21. branch — of a bank
  22. rest — a break
  23. cap — a lid
  24. pop — to visit

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