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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 120 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. When are we going to ________________?
  2. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  3. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  4. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  5. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  6. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  7. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  8. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  9. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  10. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  11. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  12. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  13. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  14. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  15. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  16. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  17. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  18. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  19. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  20. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  21. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  22. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  23. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  24. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.

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

Answer key

  1. land — to come down
  2. land — ground
  3. bear — the animal
  4. pass — to spend time
  5. bank — of a river
  6. degree — temperature
  7. bank — for money
  8. pass — to succeed
  9. can — to be able to
  10. dip — to sink
  11. dip — a sauce
  12. can — a tin
  13. pound — to hit hard
  14. land — a country
  15. pound — a weight
  16. bank — for money
  17. can — a tin
  18. pound — for dogs
  19. dip — to dunk
  20. pass — a permit
  21. degree — an amount
  22. bear — the animal
  23. bear — to put up with
  24. degree — from a university

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