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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. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  2. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  3. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  4. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  5. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  6. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  7. This piece is in a major ________________.
  8. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  9. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  10. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  11. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  12. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  13. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  14. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  15. Have you met the new head ________________?
  16. The tickets are free of ________________.
  17. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  18. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  19. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  20. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  21. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  22. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  23. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  24. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?

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

Answer key

  1. net — in sport
  2. pound — to hit hard
  3. leaves — to go away
  4. coach — a trainer
  5. pound — for dogs
  6. stick — a piece of wood
  7. key — in music
  8. net — for catching
  9. pound — a weight
  10. bank — of a river
  11. charge — electricity
  12. bank — for money
  13. leaves — of a tree
  14. net — after costs
  15. coach — a trainer
  16. charge — a price
  17. stick — a piece of wood
  18. stick — to attach or keep to
  19. leaves — lets stay
  20. charge — in control
  21. key — the most important part
  22. bank — for money
  23. coach — pulled by horses
  24. key — for a lock

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