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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. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  2. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  3. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  4. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  5. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  6. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  7. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  8. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  9. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  10. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  11. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  12. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  13. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  14. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  15. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  16. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  17. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  18. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  19. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  20. That must've been a ________________.
  21. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  22. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  23. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  24. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.

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

Answer key

  1. pound — for dogs
  2. content — happy
  3. wave — with your hand
  4. content — videos and posts
  5. bank — of a river
  6. wave — of the sea
  7. pit — a hole
  8. pit — a fruit stone
  9. fall — to drop
  10. bank — for money
  11. pound — a weight
  12. pit — in a race
  13. deal — a big deal
  14. fall — the season
  15. rush — to hurry
  16. rush — hurry
  17. bank — for money
  18. content — the amount
  19. deal — an agreement
  20. rush — a thrill
  21. wave — a sudden rise
  22. deal — to handle
  23. fall — to drop
  24. pound — to hit hard

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