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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 120 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. When are we going to ________________?
  2. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  3. David sat on the ________________.
  4. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  5. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  6. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  7. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  8. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  9. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  10. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  11. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  12. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  13. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  14. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  15. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  16. What do you think of the new ________________?
  17. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  18. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  19. When will it ________________ you to start?
  20. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  21. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  22. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  23. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  24. He took the fish out of the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. land — to come down
  2. pound — a weight
  3. swing — to play on
  4. rest — what's left
  5. cabinet — a cupboard
  6. land — ground
  7. land — a country
  8. swing — music
  9. rest — what's left
  10. rest — a break
  11. swing — in golf
  12. pound — for dogs
  13. net — in sport
  14. cap — a lid
  15. pound — to hit hard
  16. cabinet — ministers
  17. net — after costs
  18. cabinet — ministers
  19. suit — to fit
  20. suit — in cards
  21. cap — of ice
  22. cap — a hat
  23. suit — clothes
  24. net — for catching

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