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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 120 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. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  3. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  4. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  5. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  6. He works in a ________________ mill.
  7. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  8. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  9. When will it ________________ you to start?
  10. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  11. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  12. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  13. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  14. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  15. She's very handy with a ________________.
  16. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  17. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  18. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  19. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  20. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  21. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  22. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  23. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  24. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.

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

Answer key

  1. pound — to hit hard
  2. fine — a penalty
  3. pound — a weight
  4. lie — an untruth
  5. field — a subject
  6. saw — the tool
  7. lie — an untruth
  8. wind — moving air
  9. suit — to fit
  10. bank — of a river
  11. fine — high quality
  12. field — farmland
  13. wind — to turn a key
  14. lie — to recline
  15. saw — the tool
  16. bank — for money
  17. suit — clothes
  18. wind — moving air
  19. saw — past of 'see'
  20. bank — for money
  21. field — for sport
  22. fine — all right
  23. suit — in cards
  24. pound — for dogs

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