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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. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  2. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  3. Where did you ________________ them?
  4. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  5. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  6. We're on a ________________ here.
  7. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  8. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  9. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  10. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  11. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  12. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  13. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  14. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  15. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  16. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  17. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  18. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  19. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  20. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  21. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  22. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  23. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  24. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.

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

Answer key

  1. roll — a cake
  2. pit — in a race
  3. mug — to rob
  4. pound — a weight
  5. stick — a piece of wood
  6. roll — on a roll
  7. stick — to attach or keep to
  8. safe — out of danger
  9. mug — a face
  10. pound — for dogs
  11. safe — out of danger
  12. bank — for money
  13. roll — a list
  14. safe — a strongbox
  15. bank — of a river
  16. bank — for money
  17. pit — a fruit stone
  18. pit — a hole
  19. stick — a piece of wood
  20. mug — a cup
  21. field — for sport
  22. field — farmland
  23. field — a subject
  24. pound — to hit hard

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