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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 train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  2. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  3. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  4. I can't ________________ this cold.
  5. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  6. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  7. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  8. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  9. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  10. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  11. Don't do anything ________________.
  12. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  13. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  14. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  15. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  16. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  17. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  18. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  19. My mare is ________________ in color.
  20. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  21. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  22. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  23. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  24. The elephant has a huge ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — on your feet
  2. pound — a weight
  3. rash — a series
  4. stand — to bear
  5. deal — to handle
  6. bay — a part of the sea
  7. deal — an agreement
  8. stand — for spectators
  9. pound — to hit hard
  10. can — to be able to
  11. rash — hasty
  12. can — a tin
  13. deal — a big deal
  14. stick — a piece of wood
  15. bay — to keep at bay
  16. stick — a piece of wood
  17. rash — on the skin
  18. trunk — of a car
  19. bay — a horse colour
  20. pound — for dogs
  21. stick — to attach or keep to
  22. can — a tin
  23. trunk — of a tree
  24. trunk — of an elephant

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