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

Word bank: saw · can · mark · pound · wind · toast · rule · bass

  1. He works in a ________________ mill.
  2. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  3. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  4. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  5. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  6. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  7. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  8. She's very handy with a ________________.
  9. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  10. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  11. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  12. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  13. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  14. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  15. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  16. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  17. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  18. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  19. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  20. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  21. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  22. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  23. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  24. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.

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

Answer key

  1. saw — the tool
  2. rule — government
  3. rule — a law
  4. pound — to hit hard
  5. toast — bread
  6. pound — a weight
  7. mark — a grade
  8. saw — the tool
  9. can — a tin
  10. toast — the most admired
  11. bass — low music
  12. wind — moving air
  13. mark — to pay attention
  14. can — to be able to
  15. toast — a drink to someone
  16. saw — past of 'see'
  17. wind — to turn a key
  18. pound — for dogs
  19. bass — the instrument
  20. bass — the fish
  21. mark — a trace
  22. wind — moving air
  23. can — a tin
  24. rule — to rule out

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