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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. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  3. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  4. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  5. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  6. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  7. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  8. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  9. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  10. When was this ________________ built?
  11. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  12. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  13. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  14. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  15. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  16. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  17. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  18. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  19. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  20. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  21. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  22. What do you think of the new ________________?
  23. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  24. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.

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

Answer key

  1. pound — to hit hard
  2. rule — a law
  3. wake — to stop sleeping
  4. can — a tin
  5. cabinet — a cupboard
  6. cabinet — ministers
  7. can — to be able to
  8. branch — of a tree
  9. temple — a place of worship
  10. temple — a place of worship
  11. pound — a weight
  12. can — a tin
  13. mouse — for a computer
  14. wake — before a funeral
  15. temple — side of the head
  16. mouse — the animal
  17. branch — a division
  18. rule — government
  19. wake — a trail
  20. rule — to rule out
  21. mouse — the animal
  22. cabinet — ministers
  23. pound — for dogs
  24. branch — of a bank

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