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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. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  2. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  3. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  4. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  5. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  6. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  7. My mare is ________________ in color.
  8. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  9. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  10. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  11. Did you ________________ the meat?
  12. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  13. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  14. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  15. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  16. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  17. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  18. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  19. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  20. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  21. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  22. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  23. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  24. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — of a river
  2. bay — a part of the sea
  3. bay — to keep at bay
  4. toast — bread
  5. pound — to hit hard
  6. field — a subject
  7. bay — a horse colour
  8. season — of the year
  9. pitch — completely
  10. current — electric
  11. season — to add flavour
  12. pound — a weight
  13. bank — for money
  14. field — farmland
  15. pitch — a sports field
  16. season — in sport
  17. bank — for money
  18. toast — a drink to someone
  19. pitch — a sales talk
  20. pound — for dogs
  21. toast — the most admired
  22. current — of water
  23. field — for sport
  24. current — happening now

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