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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. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  3. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  4. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  5. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  6. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  7. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  8. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  9. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  10. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  11. When are we going to ________________?
  12. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  13. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  14. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  15. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  16. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  17. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  18. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  19. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  20. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  21. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  22. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  23. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  24. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pound — for dogs
  2. present — there
  3. branch — of a tree
  4. racket — for tennis
  5. land — a country
  6. can — a tin
  7. race — a contest
  8. fine — a penalty
  9. present — the time now
  10. can — a tin
  11. land — to come down
  12. pound — to hit hard
  13. land — ground
  14. fine — high quality
  15. race — humankind
  16. racket — for tennis
  17. racket — a loud noise
  18. branch — of a bank
  19. can — to be able to
  20. fine — all right
  21. branch — a division
  22. pound — a weight
  23. present — a gift
  24. race — the arms race

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