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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. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  3. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  4. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  5. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  6. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  7. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  8. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  9. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  10. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  11. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  12. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  13. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  14. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  15. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  16. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  17. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  18. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  19. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  20. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  21. The ________________ went through the wall.
  22. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  23. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  24. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?

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

Answer key

  1. pound — to hit hard
  2. dip — to sink
  3. pass — a permit
  4. toast — bread
  5. pass — to spend time
  6. pass — to succeed
  7. pound — for dogs
  8. pound — a weight
  9. toast — the most admired
  10. mine — an explosive
  11. toast — a drink to someone
  12. can — a tin
  13. nail — for a hammer
  14. mine — belonging to me
  15. can — to be able to
  16. dip — to dunk
  17. can — a tin
  18. dip — a sauce
  19. mine — for digging
  20. nail — on a finger
  21. nail — for a hammer
  22. rule — to rule out
  23. rule — a law
  24. rule — government

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