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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 120 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. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  2. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  3. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  4. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  5. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  6. You don't need to ________________ round.
  7. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  8. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  9. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  10. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  11. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  12. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  13. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  14. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  15. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  16. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  17. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  18. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  19. I'll be taking the ________________.
  20. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  21. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  22. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  23. We're almost out of ________________.
  24. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.

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

Answer key

  1. wind — moving air
  2. pound — to hit hard
  3. hide — animal skin
  4. pound — for dogs
  5. pitch — a sales talk
  6. pop — to visit
  7. rock — a stone
  8. pitch — a sports field
  9. branch — a division
  10. pitch — completely
  11. pound — a weight
  12. wind — moving air
  13. hide — to keep secret
  14. rock — to move gently
  15. tube — in a tire
  16. rock — music
  17. branch — of a bank
  18. branch — of a tree
  19. tube — the underground
  20. pop — music
  21. tube — a container
  22. hide — to keep secret
  23. pop — soda
  24. wind — to turn a key

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