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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. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  2. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  3. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  4. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  5. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  6. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  7. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  8. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  9. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  10. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  11. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  12. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  13. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  14. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  15. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  16. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  17. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  18. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  19. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  20. Where did you ________________ them?
  21. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  22. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  23. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  24. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — with your hand
  2. squash — to crush
  3. mug — a face
  4. can — a tin
  5. mug — a cup
  6. wave — of the sea
  7. pound — a weight
  8. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  9. track — a path
  10. track — a song
  11. squash — the vegetable
  12. squash — the sport
  13. wave — a sudden rise
  14. kid — child
  15. pound — to hit hard
  16. cap — a hat
  17. track — to keep track
  18. can — a tin
  19. can — to be able to
  20. mug — to rob
  21. cap — a lid
  22. pound — for dogs
  23. cap — of ice
  24. kid — to tease

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