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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. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  2. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  3. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  4. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  5. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  6. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  7. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  8. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  9. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  10. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  11. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  12. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  13. Don't do anything ________________.
  14. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  15. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  16. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  17. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  18. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  19. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  20. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  21. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  22. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  23. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  24. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.

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

Answer key

  1. can — a tin
  2. fine — all right
  3. pound — a weight
  4. chest — of your body
  5. can — a tin
  6. jam — a tight spot
  7. can — to be able to
  8. pound — to hit hard
  9. pitch — a sports field
  10. chest — a box
  11. fine — a penalty
  12. bank — for money
  13. rash — hasty
  14. jam — to spread on bread
  15. pound — for dogs
  16. fine — high quality
  17. bank — of a river
  18. jam — in traffic
  19. bank — for money
  20. pitch — a sales talk
  21. pitch — completely
  22. rash — on the skin
  23. chest — of your body
  24. rash — a series

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