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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. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  2. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  3. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  4. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  5. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  6. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  7. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  8. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  9. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  10. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  11. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  12. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  13. The tickets are free of ________________.
  14. When was this ________________ built?
  15. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  16. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  17. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  18. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  19. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  20. False peace will not ________________.
  21. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  22. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  23. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  24. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. fine — high quality
  2. can — to be able to
  3. pound — to hit hard
  4. bank — of a river
  5. temple — side of the head
  6. can — a tin
  7. fine — all right
  8. jam — to spread on bread
  9. last — final
  10. pound — a weight
  11. bank — for money
  12. temple — a place of worship
  13. charge — a price
  14. temple — a place of worship
  15. jam — a tight spot
  16. charge — in control
  17. can — a tin
  18. charge — electricity
  19. last — finally
  20. last — to go on
  21. bank — for money
  22. fine — a penalty
  23. pound — for dogs
  24. jam — in traffic

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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