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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 120 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. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  2. I can't ________________ this cold.
  3. She's very handy with a ________________.
  4. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  5. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  6. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  7. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  8. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  9. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  10. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  11. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  12. He works in a ________________ mill.
  13. My mare is ________________ in color.
  14. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  15. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  16. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  17. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  18. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  19. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  20. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  21. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  22. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  23. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  24. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.

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

Answer key

  1. fine — high quality
  2. stand — to bear
  3. saw — the tool
  4. pound — for dogs
  5. pound — a weight
  6. calf — of the leg
  7. saw — past of 'see'
  8. pit — in a race
  9. bank — for money
  10. pit — a hole
  11. stand — on your feet
  12. saw — the tool
  13. bay — a horse colour
  14. pit — a fruit stone
  15. calf — a young animal
  16. bank — for money
  17. bay — to keep at bay
  18. fine — all right
  19. calf — a young animal
  20. bay — a part of the sea
  21. pound — to hit hard
  22. stand — for spectators
  23. bank — of a river
  24. fine — a penalty

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