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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. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  2. My mare is ________________ in color.
  3. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  4. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  5. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  6. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  7. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  8. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  9. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  10. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  11. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  12. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  13. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  14. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  15. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  16. When will it ________________ you to start?
  17. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  18. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  19. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  20. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  21. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  22. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  23. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  24. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — to keep at bay
  2. bay — a horse colour
  3. pound — to hit hard
  4. row — a quarrel
  5. row — to paddle
  6. kick — in football
  7. kick — with a leg
  8. kick — a thrill
  9. pound — a weight
  10. suit — clothes
  11. spring — of water
  12. capital — a city
  13. capital — money
  14. bank — for money
  15. row — a line
  16. suit — to fit
  17. bay — a part of the sea
  18. spring — the season
  19. pound — for dogs
  20. bank — for money
  21. bank — of a river
  22. spring — a coil
  23. capital — a big letter
  24. suit — in cards

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