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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. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  2. My mare is ________________ in color.
  3. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  4. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  5. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  6. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  7. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  8. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  9. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  10. That must've been a ________________.
  11. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  12. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  13. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  14. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  15. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  16. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  17. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  18. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  19. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  20. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  21. It's one o'clock ________________.
  22. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  23. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  24. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — for money
  2. bay — a horse colour
  3. pound — to hit hard
  4. rush — to hurry
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. wind — moving air
  7. pound — a weight
  8. chest — a box
  9. sharp — clever
  10. rush — a thrill
  11. rush — hurry
  12. bay — a part of the sea
  13. chest — of your body
  14. bank — of a river
  15. sharp — with an edge
  16. pound — for dogs
  17. bay — to keep at bay
  18. ruler — a monarch
  19. wind — moving air
  20. bank — for money
  21. sharp — exactly
  22. wind — to turn a key
  23. ruler — for measuring
  24. chest — of your body

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