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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. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  2. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  3. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  4. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  5. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  6. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  7. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  8. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  9. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  10. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  11. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  12. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  13. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  14. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  15. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  16. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  17. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  18. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  19. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  20. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  21. When was this ________________ built?
  22. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  23. He is an ace ________________.
  24. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?

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

Answer key

  1. pound — to hit hard
  2. pitcher — a jug
  3. pound — a weight
  4. degree — from a university
  5. jam — to spread on bread
  6. bank — of a river
  7. jam — a tight spot
  8. can — a tin
  9. pitcher — a jug
  10. degree — temperature
  11. chip — for betting
  12. jam — in traffic
  13. bank — for money
  14. temple — side of the head
  15. can — to be able to
  16. can — a tin
  17. pound — for dogs
  18. chip — to eat
  19. bank — for money
  20. chip — in a computer
  21. temple — a place of worship
  22. temple — a place of worship
  23. pitcher — in baseball
  24. degree — an amount

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