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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 116 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. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  3. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  4. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  5. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  6. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  7. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  8. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  9. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  10. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  11. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  12. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  13. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  14. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  15. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  16. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  17. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  18. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  19. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  20. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  21. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  22. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  23. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  24. Do you need a ________________ with that?

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

Answer key

  1. pound — for dogs
  2. leaves — to go away
  3. leaves — lets stay
  4. bank — of a river
  5. hand — in cards
  6. bank — for money
  7. track — a song
  8. pit — in a race
  9. hand — part of the body
  10. dip — a sauce
  11. pit — a hole
  12. can — a tin
  13. track — a path
  14. pit — a fruit stone
  15. can — to be able to
  16. dip — to dunk
  17. track — to keep track
  18. can — a tin
  19. pound — a weight
  20. bank — for money
  21. pound — to hit hard
  22. dip — to sink
  23. leaves — of a tree
  24. hand — help

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