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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. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  2. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  3. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  4. You don't need to ________________ round.
  5. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  6. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  7. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  8. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  9. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  10. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  11. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  12. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  13. Have you found your soul ________________?
  14. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  15. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  16. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  17. We're almost out of ________________.
  18. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  19. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  20. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  21. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  22. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  23. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  24. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.

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

Answer key

  1. wound — past of 'wind'
  2. wound — an injury
  3. hide — to keep secret
  4. pop — to visit
  5. hide — to keep secret
  6. pound — to hit hard
  7. lean — thin
  8. bank — for money
  9. track — a path
  10. lean — to rest against
  11. bank — of a river
  12. hide — animal skin
  13. mate — a partner
  14. pop — music
  15. lean — to bend
  16. track — to keep track
  17. pop — soda
  18. mate — a friend
  19. pound — for dogs
  20. mate — to breed
  21. wound — an injury
  22. pound — a weight
  23. track — a song
  24. bank — for money

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