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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. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  2. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  3. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  4. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  5. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  6. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  7. My mare is ________________ in color.
  8. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  9. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  10. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  11. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  12. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  13. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  14. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  15. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  16. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  17. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  18. False peace will not ________________.
  19. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  20. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  21. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  22. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  23. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  24. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wound — an injury
  2. bear — to put up with
  3. pound — for dogs
  4. last — finally
  5. bear — the animal
  6. bay — to keep at bay
  7. bay — a horse colour
  8. bay — a part of the sea
  9. stick — a piece of wood
  10. pound — a weight
  11. bear — the animal
  12. wound — past of 'wind'
  13. stick — to attach or keep to
  14. bank — for money
  15. rule — to rule out
  16. rule — government
  17. pound — to hit hard
  18. last — to go on
  19. bank — of a river
  20. rule — a law
  21. bank — for money
  22. wound — an injury
  23. last — final
  24. stick — a piece of wood

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