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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. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  2. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  3. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  4. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  5. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  6. My mare is ________________ in color.
  7. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  8. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  9. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  10. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  11. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  12. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  13. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  14. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  15. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  16. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  17. Have you met the new head ________________?
  18. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  19. I can't ________________ this cold.
  20. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  21. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  22. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  23. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  24. What was your ________________ profit last year?

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

Answer key

  1. stick — to attach or keep to
  2. can — a tin
  3. bank — for money
  4. stick — a piece of wood
  5. bay — to keep at bay
  6. bay — a horse colour
  7. pound — to hit hard
  8. pound — a weight
  9. pound — for dogs
  10. coach — a trainer
  11. coach — pulled by horses
  12. bank — of a river
  13. bank — for money
  14. stand — for spectators
  15. can — to be able to
  16. stand — on your feet
  17. coach — a trainer
  18. bay — a part of the sea
  19. stand — to bear
  20. net — in sport
  21. can — a tin
  22. net — for catching
  23. stick — a piece of wood
  24. net — after costs

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