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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: swing · leaves · mouse · straw · object · can · mine · pound

  1. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  2. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  3. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  4. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  5. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  6. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  7. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  8. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  9. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  10. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  11. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  12. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  13. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  14. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  15. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  16. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  17. David sat on the ________________.
  18. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  19. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  20. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  21. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  22. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  23. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  24. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — of a tree
  2. pound — for dogs
  3. mouse — the animal
  4. object — a thing
  5. mine — belonging to me
  6. can — a tin
  7. leaves — lets stay
  8. pound — a weight
  9. can — to be able to
  10. mine — an explosive
  11. pound — to hit hard
  12. mouse — for a computer
  13. leaves — to go away
  14. straw — a straw man
  15. straw — to clutch at straws
  16. swing — in golf
  17. swing — to play on
  18. mouse — the animal
  19. swing — music
  20. object — an aim
  21. object — to protest
  22. can — a tin
  23. mine — for digging
  24. straw — dry grass

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