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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 116 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. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  2. You don't need to ________________ round.
  3. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  4. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  5. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  6. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  7. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  8. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  9. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  10. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  11. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  12. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  13. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  14. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  15. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  16. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  17. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  18. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  19. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  20. We're almost out of ________________.
  21. When are we going to ________________?
  22. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  23. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  24. The King held a masked ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. land — ground
  2. pop — to visit
  3. cap — of ice
  4. cap — a hat
  5. land — a country
  6. bank — for money
  7. lie — an untruth
  8. pound — for dogs
  9. bank — for money
  10. pop — music
  11. ball — a great time
  12. lie — an untruth
  13. pound — to hit hard
  14. object — an aim
  15. ball — a round shape
  16. cap — a lid
  17. bank — of a river
  18. object — a thing
  19. lie — to recline
  20. pop — soda
  21. land — to come down
  22. object — to protest
  23. pound — a weight
  24. ball — a dance

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