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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. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  3. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  4. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  5. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  6. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  7. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  8. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  9. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  10. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  11. False peace will not ________________.
  12. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  13. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  14. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  15. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  16. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  17. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  18. Don't do anything ________________.
  19. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  20. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  21. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  22. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  23. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  24. There's no middle ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pound — to hit hard
  2. bank — of a river
  3. bank — for money
  4. pound — a weight
  5. last — final
  6. lean — to rest against
  7. kick — in football
  8. rash — a series
  9. hide — to keep secret
  10. pound — for dogs
  11. last — to go on
  12. hide — to keep secret
  13. hide — animal skin
  14. kick — a thrill
  15. bank — for money
  16. last — finally
  17. ground — the earth
  18. rash — hasty
  19. ground — crushed
  20. kick — with a leg
  21. lean — to bend
  22. lean — thin
  23. rash — on the skin
  24. ground — a position

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