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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. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  2. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  3. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  4. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  5. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  6. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  7. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  8. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  9. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  10. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  11. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  12. I've got to change the light ________________.
  13. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  14. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  15. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  16. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  17. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  18. The light ________________ burned out.
  19. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  20. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  21. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  22. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  23. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  24. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.

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

Answer key

  1. rule — a law
  2. pound — to hit hard
  3. straw — to clutch at straws
  4. bank — of a river
  5. straw — dry grass
  6. rule — government
  7. cap — of ice
  8. fine — high quality
  9. cap — a lid
  10. pound — a weight
  11. fine — all right
  12. bulb — for light
  13. foot — a measure
  14. fine — a penalty
  15. foot — the bottom
  16. rule — to rule out
  17. straw — a straw man
  18. bulb — for light
  19. pound — for dogs
  20. bank — for money
  21. foot — part of the body
  22. bank — for money
  23. cap — a hat
  24. bulb — of a plant

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