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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 116 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. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  2. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  3. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  4. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  5. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  6. I'll be taking the ________________.
  7. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  8. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  9. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  10. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  11. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  12. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  13. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  14. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  15. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  16. That was ________________ to happen.
  17. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  18. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  19. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  20. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  21. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  22. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  23. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  24. I can't ________________ this cold.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — for money
  2. bank — for money
  3. pound — for dogs
  4. pound — a weight
  5. track — to keep track
  6. tube — the underground
  7. scale — for weighing
  8. stand — for spectators
  9. bound — tied together
  10. bank — of a river
  11. track — a path
  12. tube — in a tire
  13. bound — obliged
  14. rest — what's left
  15. scale — size or range
  16. bound — certain
  17. track — a song
  18. stand — on your feet
  19. rest — what's left
  20. pound — to hit hard
  21. tube — a container
  22. scale — in music
  23. rest — a break
  24. stand — to bear

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