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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. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  2. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  3. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  4. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  5. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  6. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  7. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  8. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  9. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  10. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  11. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  12. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  13. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  14. Have you found your soul ________________?
  15. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  16. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  17. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  18. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  19. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  20. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  21. My mare is ________________ in color.
  22. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  23. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  24. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.

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

Answer key

  1. pound — for dogs
  2. branch — of a bank
  3. bass — the fish
  4. jam — in traffic
  5. bass — low music
  6. can — a tin
  7. branch — of a tree
  8. pound — a weight
  9. can — to be able to
  10. bass — the instrument
  11. kick — in football
  12. kick — with a leg
  13. mate — a friend
  14. mate — a partner
  15. kick — a thrill
  16. bay — to keep at bay
  17. pound — to hit hard
  18. branch — a division
  19. jam — a tight spot
  20. can — a tin
  21. bay — a horse colour
  22. bay — a part of the sea
  23. jam — to spread on bread
  24. mate — to breed

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