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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. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  2. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  3. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  4. That was a fun ________________.
  5. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  6. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  7. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  8. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  9. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  10. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  11. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  12. He works in a ________________ mill.
  13. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  14. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  15. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  16. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  17. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  18. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  19. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  20. She's very handy with a ________________.
  21. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  22. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  23. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  24. Recycle the empty soda ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. game — wild animals
  2. lie — to recline
  3. lie — an untruth
  4. game — a match
  5. pound — to hit hard
  6. bank — for money
  7. present — a gift
  8. pound — for dogs
  9. lie — an untruth
  10. bank — of a river
  11. present — the time now
  12. saw — the tool
  13. can — a tin
  14. saw — past of 'see'
  15. wave — a sudden rise
  16. can — to be able to
  17. wave — with your hand
  18. wave — of the sea
  19. pound — a weight
  20. saw — the tool
  21. game — a kind of play
  22. present — there
  23. bank — for money
  24. can — a tin

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