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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. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  2. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  3. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  4. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  5. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  6. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  7. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  8. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  9. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  10. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  11. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  12. Where did you ________________ them?
  13. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  14. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  15. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  16. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  17. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  18. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  19. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  20. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  21. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  22. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  23. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  24. He refilled his coffee ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. hide — to keep secret
  2. band — a music group
  3. fork — in a road
  4. net — for catching
  5. fine — a penalty
  6. band — a rubber band
  7. net — in sport
  8. mug — a face
  9. wave — with your hand
  10. fine — high quality
  11. hide — to keep secret
  12. mug — to rob
  13. fork — a garden tool
  14. pound — to hit hard
  15. hide — animal skin
  16. pound — a weight
  17. fine — all right
  18. wave — a sudden rise
  19. wave — of the sea
  20. net — after costs
  21. band — a ring
  22. pound — for dogs
  23. fork — to eat with
  24. mug — a cup

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