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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. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  2. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  3. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  4. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  5. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  6. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  7. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  8. That was ________________ to happen.
  9. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  10. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  11. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  12. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  13. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  14. When are we going to ________________?
  15. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  16. I'll be taking the ________________.
  17. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  18. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  19. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  20. The ________________ went through the wall.
  21. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  22. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  23. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  24. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.

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

Answer key

  1. rock — to move gently
  2. march — the month
  3. pound — to hit hard
  4. bound — tied together
  5. pound — a weight
  6. land — ground
  7. land — a country
  8. bound — certain
  9. rock — music
  10. march — the month
  11. nail — for a hammer
  12. staff — employees
  13. pound — for dogs
  14. land — to come down
  15. rock — a stone
  16. tube — the underground
  17. staff — a stick
  18. tube — in a tire
  19. nail — on a finger
  20. nail — for a hammer
  21. bound — obliged
  22. staff — employees
  23. tube — a container
  24. march — music

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