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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. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  2. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  3. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  4. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  5. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  6. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  7. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  8. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  9. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  10. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  11. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  12. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  13. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  14. My mare is ________________ in color.
  15. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  16. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  17. He is an ace ________________.
  18. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  19. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  20. That was a fun ________________.
  21. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  22. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  23. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  24. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — lets stay
  2. branch — a division
  3. ruler — for measuring
  4. pound — for dogs
  5. pound — to hit hard
  6. bear — to put up with
  7. bear — the animal
  8. pitcher — a jug
  9. ruler — a monarch
  10. leaves — of a tree
  11. pitcher — a jug
  12. game — a kind of play
  13. pound — a weight
  14. bay — a horse colour
  15. bay — to keep at bay
  16. branch — of a tree
  17. pitcher — in baseball
  18. ruler — for measuring
  19. bay — a part of the sea
  20. game — a match
  21. leaves — to go away
  22. bear — the animal
  23. branch — of a bank
  24. game — wild animals

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