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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. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  2. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  3. You don't need to ________________ round.
  4. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  5. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  6. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  7. We're almost out of ________________.
  8. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  9. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  10. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  11. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  12. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  13. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  14. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  15. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  16. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  17. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  18. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  19. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  20. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  21. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  22. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  23. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  24. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.

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

Answer key

  1. pound — a weight
  2. bank — of a river
  3. pop — to visit
  4. bank — for money
  5. fan — to cool the air
  6. lash — an eyelash
  7. pop — soda
  8. lean — thin
  9. fan — a supporter
  10. stem — a stem cell
  11. stem — to come from
  12. stem — of a plant
  13. pound — for dogs
  14. fan — a supporter
  15. object — an aim
  16. bank — for money
  17. lash — to lash out
  18. lash — a whip stroke
  19. lean — to bend
  20. pound — to hit hard
  21. object — a thing
  22. pop — music
  23. object — to protest
  24. lean — to rest against

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