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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. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  2. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  3. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  4. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  5. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  6. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  7. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  8. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  9. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  10. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  11. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  12. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  13. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  14. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  15. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  16. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  17. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  18. False peace will not ________________.
  19. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  20. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  21. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  22. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  23. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  24. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — boats
  2. pound — for dogs
  3. last — finally
  4. craft — a handicraft
  5. craft — a skill
  6. hide — animal skin
  7. foot — part of the body
  8. pound — a weight
  9. lean — thin
  10. foot — a measure
  11. last — final
  12. degree — temperature
  13. hide — to keep secret
  14. pound — to hit hard
  15. lean — to bend
  16. degree — from a university
  17. lean — to rest against
  18. last — to go on
  19. hide — to keep secret
  20. foot — the bottom
  21. bank — for money
  22. degree — an amount
  23. bank — for money
  24. bank — of a river

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