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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. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  2. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  3. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  4. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  5. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  6. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  7. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  8. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  9. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  10. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  11. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  12. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  13. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  14. That was ________________ to happen.
  15. My mare is ________________ in color.
  16. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  17. False peace will not ________________.
  18. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  19. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  20. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  21. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  22. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  23. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  24. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.

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

Answer key

  1. rock — music
  2. bay — a part of the sea
  3. leaves — lets stay
  4. pound — for dogs
  5. rock — to move gently
  6. bound — tied together
  7. lean — thin
  8. lean — to rest against
  9. scale — for weighing
  10. last — final
  11. bay — to keep at bay
  12. rock — a stone
  13. last — finally
  14. bound — certain
  15. bay — a horse colour
  16. leaves — of a tree
  17. last — to go on
  18. scale — in music
  19. pound — to hit hard
  20. pound — a weight
  21. bound — obliged
  22. scale — size or range
  23. leaves — to go away
  24. lean — to bend

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