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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. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  2. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  3. We're almost out of ________________.
  4. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  5. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  6. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  7. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  8. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  9. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  10. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  11. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  12. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  13. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  14. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  15. When are we going to ________________?
  16. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  17. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  18. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  19. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  20. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  21. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  22. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  23. You don't need to ________________ round.
  24. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — a division
  2. can — a tin
  3. pop — soda
  4. branch — of a bank
  5. shower — rain
  6. shower — to wash
  7. pitch — a sports field
  8. can — to be able to
  9. land — a country
  10. branch — of a tree
  11. land — ground
  12. can — a tin
  13. pitch — a sales talk
  14. rock — music
  15. land — to come down
  16. rock — to move gently
  17. shower — a meteor shower
  18. pound — a weight
  19. pitch — completely
  20. pound — for dogs
  21. rock — a stone
  22. pop — music
  23. pop — to visit
  24. pound — to hit hard

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