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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. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  2. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  3. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  4. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  5. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  6. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  7. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  8. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  9. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  10. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  11. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  12. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  13. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  14. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  15. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  16. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  17. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  18. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  19. That must've been a ________________.
  20. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  21. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  22. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  23. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  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. bank — for money
  2. pound — a weight
  3. can — a tin
  4. rush — hurry
  5. hand — in cards
  6. mouse — the animal
  7. mouse — the animal
  8. pound — to hit hard
  9. hand — part of the body
  10. wind — moving air
  11. pound — for dogs
  12. mark — a trace
  13. bank — for money
  14. mark — a grade
  15. mark — to pay attention
  16. mouse — for a computer
  17. can — to be able to
  18. can — a tin
  19. rush — a thrill
  20. wind — to turn a key
  21. hand — help
  22. wind — moving air
  23. rush — to hurry
  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