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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. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  2. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  3. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  4. The ________________ went through the wall.
  5. Did you ________________ the meat?
  6. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  7. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  8. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  9. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  10. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  11. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  12. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  13. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  14. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  15. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  16. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  17. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  18. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  19. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  20. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  21. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  22. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  23. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  24. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — on a finger
  2. pound — for dogs
  3. pound — a weight
  4. nail — for a hammer
  5. season — to add flavour
  6. cap — a hat
  7. cap — a lid
  8. craft — boats
  9. pound — to hit hard
  10. wake — before a funeral
  11. bank — of a river
  12. season — of the year
  13. toast — bread
  14. cap — of ice
  15. wake — a trail
  16. craft — a handicraft
  17. season — in sport
  18. toast — the most admired
  19. bank — for money
  20. toast — a drink to someone
  21. wake — to stop sleeping
  22. craft — a skill
  23. nail — for a hammer
  24. bank — for money

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