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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. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  3. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  4. He was locked up in a ________________.
  5. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  6. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  7. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  8. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  9. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  10. False peace will not ________________.
  11. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  12. The King held a masked ________________.
  13. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  14. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  15. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  16. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  17. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  18. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  19. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  20. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  21. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  22. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  23. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  24. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.

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

Answer key

  1. rock — to move gently
  2. rock — a stone
  3. stick — a piece of wood
  4. cell — in a prison
  5. stick — a piece of wood
  6. pound — for dogs
  7. lie — an untruth
  8. last — finally
  9. ball — a great time
  10. last — to go on
  11. bank — of a river
  12. ball — a dance
  13. pound — a weight
  14. cell — in biology
  15. rock — music
  16. lie — to recline
  17. lie — an untruth
  18. ball — a round shape
  19. bank — for money
  20. last — final
  21. pound — to hit hard
  22. stick — to attach or keep to
  23. cell — a phone
  24. bank — for money

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