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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 116 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. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  2. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  3. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  4. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  5. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  6. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  7. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  8. When are we going to ________________?
  9. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  10. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  11. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  12. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  13. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  14. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  15. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  16. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  17. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  18. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  19. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  20. He was locked up in a ________________.
  21. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  22. My mare is ________________ in color.
  23. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  24. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — to keep at bay
  2. pound — to hit hard
  3. cell — in biology
  4. calf — a young animal
  5. calf — a young animal
  6. pound — for dogs
  7. cell — a phone
  8. land — to come down
  9. bank — of a river
  10. wax — for sculpting
  11. bank — for money
  12. chip — in a computer
  13. bay — a part of the sea
  14. land — a country
  15. wax — to grow
  16. chip — for betting
  17. wax — in the ear
  18. calf — of the leg
  19. bank — for money
  20. cell — in a prison
  21. pound — a weight
  22. bay — a horse colour
  23. land — ground
  24. chip — to eat

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