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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. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  2. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  3. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  4. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  5. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  6. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  7. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  8. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  9. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  10. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  11. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  12. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  13. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  14. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  15. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  16. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  17. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  18. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  19. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  20. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  21. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  22. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  23. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  24. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.

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

Answer key

  1. pound — for dogs
  2. object — to protest
  3. can — a tin
  4. pass — to spend time
  5. bank — for money
  6. lean — thin
  7. straw — to clutch at straws
  8. straw — dry grass
  9. straw — a straw man
  10. pound — a weight
  11. lean — to bend
  12. vault — a safe
  13. can — to be able to
  14. pass — to succeed
  15. can — a tin
  16. pound — to hit hard
  17. object — a thing
  18. vault — in gymnastics
  19. object — an aim
  20. pass — a permit
  21. bank — of a river
  22. vault — an arched ceiling
  23. bank — for money
  24. lean — to rest against

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