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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. When are we going to ________________?
  2. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  3. Where did you ________________ them?
  4. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  5. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  6. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  7. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  8. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  9. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  10. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  11. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  12. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  13. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  14. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  15. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  16. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  17. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  18. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  19. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  20. My mare is ________________ in color.
  21. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  22. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  23. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  24. He refilled his coffee ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. land — to come down
  2. pound — a weight
  3. mug — to rob
  4. scale — in music
  5. leaves — lets stay
  6. pound — to hit hard
  7. scale — size or range
  8. bay — a part of the sea
  9. scale — for weighing
  10. face — part of the head
  11. pound — for dogs
  12. mug — a face
  13. leaves — to go away
  14. wave — with your hand
  15. face — to point toward
  16. wave — of the sea
  17. land — ground
  18. leaves — of a tree
  19. wave — a sudden rise
  20. bay — a horse colour
  21. land — a country
  22. face — to confront
  23. bay — to keep at bay
  24. mug — a cup

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