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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. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  3. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  4. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  5. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  6. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  7. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  8. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  9. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  10. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  11. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  12. The ________________ took off on time.
  13. Did you ________________ the button?
  14. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  15. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  16. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  17. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  18. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  19. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  20. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  21. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  22. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  23. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  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. pound — a weight
  2. straw — a straw man
  3. can — a tin
  4. press — newspapers
  5. pound — for dogs
  6. race — humankind
  7. straw — to clutch at straws
  8. race — a contest
  9. plane — in geometry
  10. can — a tin
  11. mouse — the animal
  12. plane — an aircraft
  13. press — to push
  14. bank — for money
  15. race — the arms race
  16. press — a publisher
  17. straw — dry grass
  18. bank — for money
  19. can — to be able to
  20. plane — a tool
  21. mouse — for a computer
  22. mouse — the animal
  23. pound — to hit hard
  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