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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. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  2. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  3. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  4. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  5. That must've been a ________________.
  6. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  7. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  8. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  9. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  10. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  11. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  12. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  13. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  14. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  15. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  16. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  17. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  18. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  19. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  20. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  21. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  22. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  23. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  24. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.

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

Answer key

  1. rock — to move gently
  2. rush — hurry
  3. march — the month
  4. march — music
  5. rush — a thrill
  6. bank — for money
  7. rock — music
  8. pound — for dogs
  9. pound — to hit hard
  10. rock — a stone
  11. foot — the bottom
  12. bowl — to roll
  13. bank — for money
  14. foot — part of the body
  15. bank — of a river
  16. rule — to rule out
  17. rush — to hurry
  18. bowl — a dish
  19. pound — a weight
  20. foot — a measure
  21. rule — government
  22. bowl — a football final
  23. rule — a law
  24. march — the month

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