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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. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  2. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  3. What do you think of the new ________________?
  4. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  5. He is an ace ________________.
  6. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  7. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  8. False peace will not ________________.
  9. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  10. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  11. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  12. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  13. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  14. Did you ________________ the button?
  15. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  16. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  17. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  18. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  19. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  20. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  21. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  22. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  23. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  24. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.

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

Answer key

  1. pound — for dogs
  2. lean — thin
  3. cabinet — ministers
  4. press — newspapers
  5. pitcher — in baseball
  6. last — final
  7. last — finally
  8. last — to go on
  9. lean — to bend
  10. can — a tin
  11. can — to be able to
  12. cabinet — ministers
  13. pound — to hit hard
  14. press — to push
  15. lean — to rest against
  16. press — a publisher
  17. cabinet — a cupboard
  18. leaves — of a tree
  19. pound — a weight
  20. can — a tin
  21. pitcher — a jug
  22. pitcher — a jug
  23. leaves — to go away
  24. leaves — lets stay

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