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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. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  2. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  3. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  4. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  5. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  6. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  7. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  8. It's one o'clock ________________.
  9. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  10. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  11. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  12. He is an ace ________________.
  13. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  14. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  15. I can't ________________ this cold.
  16. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  17. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  18. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  19. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  20. My mare is ________________ in color.
  21. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  22. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  23. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  24. The polar ice ________________ is melting.

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

Answer key

  1. pound — to hit hard
  2. pound — a weight
  3. stand — on your feet
  4. lean — to bend
  5. stand — for spectators
  6. pitcher — a jug
  7. lean — to rest against
  8. sharp — exactly
  9. bay — to keep at bay
  10. cap — a lid
  11. sharp — with an edge
  12. pitcher — in baseball
  13. pitcher — a jug
  14. bank — of a river
  15. stand — to bear
  16. lean — thin
  17. bank — for money
  18. bay — a part of the sea
  19. cap — a hat
  20. bay — a horse colour
  21. pound — for dogs
  22. sharp — clever
  23. bank — for money
  24. cap — of ice

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