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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. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  2. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  3. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  4. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  5. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  6. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  7. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  8. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  9. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  10. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  11. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  12. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  13. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  14. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  15. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  16. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  17. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  18. The King held a masked ________________.
  19. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  20. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  21. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  22. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  23. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  24. When are we going to ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. pound — to hit hard
  2. pass — to succeed
  3. ball — a round shape
  4. bank — of a river
  5. band — a music group
  6. band — a rubber band
  7. lie — to recline
  8. land — ground
  9. lie — an untruth
  10. bank — for money
  11. squash — to crush
  12. lie — an untruth
  13. pass — to spend time
  14. land — a country
  15. pound — for dogs
  16. squash — the vegetable
  17. ball — a great time
  18. ball — a dance
  19. squash — the sport
  20. pound — a weight
  21. band — a ring
  22. bank — for money
  23. pass — a permit
  24. land — to come down

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