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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. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  2. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  3. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  4. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  5. The ________________ went through the wall.
  6. When are we going to ________________?
  7. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  8. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  9. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  10. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  11. That must've been a ________________.
  12. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  13. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  14. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  15. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  16. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  17. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  18. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  19. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  20. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  21. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  22. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  23. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  24. Take your time. There's no ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — on a finger
  2. rock — to move gently
  3. land — ground
  4. pound — for dogs
  5. nail — for a hammer
  6. land — to come down
  7. rock — music
  8. jam — in traffic
  9. can — to be able to
  10. pound — a weight
  11. rush — a thrill
  12. jam — to spread on bread
  13. pound — to hit hard
  14. can — a tin
  15. can — a tin
  16. leaves — of a tree
  17. jam — a tight spot
  18. rush — to hurry
  19. leaves — lets stay
  20. rock — a stone
  21. nail — for a hammer
  22. leaves — to go away
  23. land — a country
  24. rush — hurry

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