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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. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  2. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  3. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  4. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  5. The King held a masked ________________.
  6. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  7. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  8. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  9. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  10. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  11. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  12. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  13. Have you settled on a ________________?
  14. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  15. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  16. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  17. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  18. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  19. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  20. The ________________ market has crashed.
  21. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  22. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  23. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  24. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — lets stay
  2. pound — to hit hard
  3. pound — for dogs
  4. leaves — to go away
  5. ball — a dance
  6. date — the fruit
  7. stock — goods
  8. pound — a weight
  9. lean — to bend
  10. patient — a sick person
  11. foot — the bottom
  12. ball — a great time
  13. date — on the calendar
  14. leaves — of a tree
  15. ball — a round shape
  16. patient — calm and waiting
  17. date — on the calendar
  18. foot — part of the body
  19. lean — thin
  20. stock — shares
  21. lean — to rest against
  22. patient — a sick person
  23. stock — a soup base
  24. foot — a measure

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