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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. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  2. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  3. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  4. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  5. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  6. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  7. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  8. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  9. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  10. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  11. When will it ________________ you to start?
  12. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  13. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  14. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  15. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  16. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  17. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  18. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  19. There's no middle ________________.
  20. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  21. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  22. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  23. Did you ________________ the meat?
  24. The polar ice ________________ is melting.

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

Answer key

  1. pound — a weight
  2. bank — for money
  3. face — to point toward
  4. season — of the year
  5. cap — a hat
  6. face — to confront
  7. pound — to hit hard
  8. ground — crushed
  9. file — a tool
  10. ground — the earth
  11. suit — to fit
  12. file — a document
  13. pound — for dogs
  14. bank — for money
  15. file — a line of people
  16. season — in sport
  17. cap — a lid
  18. face — part of the head
  19. ground — a position
  20. suit — clothes
  21. suit — in cards
  22. bank — of a river
  23. season — to add flavour
  24. cap — of ice

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