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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. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  3. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  4. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  5. False peace will not ________________.
  6. You don't need to ________________ round.
  7. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  8. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  9. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  10. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  11. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  12. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  13. We're almost out of ________________.
  14. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  15. What do you think of the new ________________?
  16. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  17. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  18. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  19. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  20. My mare is ________________ in color.
  21. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  22. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  23. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  24. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.

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

Answer key

  1. pound — to hit hard
  2. pound — for dogs
  3. straw — to clutch at straws
  4. dip — a sauce
  5. last — to go on
  6. pop — to visit
  7. pop — music
  8. last — finally
  9. cabinet — ministers
  10. last — final
  11. straw — a straw man
  12. bay — to keep at bay
  13. pop — soda
  14. branch — of a bank
  15. cabinet — ministers
  16. straw — dry grass
  17. dip — to sink
  18. pound — a weight
  19. branch — of a tree
  20. bay — a horse colour
  21. branch — a division
  22. cabinet — a cupboard
  23. bay — a part of the sea
  24. dip — to dunk

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