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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. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  2. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  3. We're almost out of ________________.
  4. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  5. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  6. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  7. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  8. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  9. You don't need to ________________ round.
  10. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  11. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  12. When are we going to ________________?
  13. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  14. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  15. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  16. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  17. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  18. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  19. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  20. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  21. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  22. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  23. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  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. safe — a strongbox
  2. pound — to hit hard
  3. pop — soda
  4. kick — with a leg
  5. pop — music
  6. kick — in football
  7. kick — a thrill
  8. branch — of a tree
  9. pop — to visit
  10. land — ground
  11. land — a country
  12. land — to come down
  13. safe — out of danger
  14. straw — to clutch at straws
  15. pound — for dogs
  16. lean — thin
  17. straw — a straw man
  18. branch — of a bank
  19. pound — a weight
  20. branch — a division
  21. lean — to bend
  22. straw — dry grass
  23. safe — out of danger
  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