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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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Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: leaves · pop · race · pound · bank · deal

  1. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  2. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  3. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  4. You don't need to ________________ round.
  5. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  6. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  7. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  8. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  9. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  10. We're almost out of ________________.
  11. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  12. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  13. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  14. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  15. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  16. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  17. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  18. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — of a tree
  2. bank — for money
  3. deal — to handle
  4. pop — to visit
  5. pound — a weight
  6. bank — of a river
  7. race — the arms race
  8. pound — for dogs
  9. deal — a big deal
  10. pop — soda
  11. pop — music
  12. deal — an agreement
  13. leaves — lets stay
  14. leaves — to go away
  15. race — a contest
  16. bank — for money
  17. pound — to hit hard
  18. race — humankind

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