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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 120 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: key · land · deal · mug · ball · lean · pound · leaves

  1. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  2. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  3. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  4. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  5. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  6. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  7. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  8. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  9. This piece is in a major ________________.
  10. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  11. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  12. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  13. When are we going to ________________?
  14. The King held a masked ________________.
  15. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  16. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  17. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  18. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  19. Where did you ________________ them?
  20. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  21. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  22. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  23. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  24. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — to go away
  2. lean — to bend
  3. pound — for dogs
  4. ball — a great time
  5. land — a country
  6. deal — a big deal
  7. leaves — of a tree
  8. land — ground
  9. key — in music
  10. key — for a lock
  11. ball — a round shape
  12. lean — thin
  13. land — to come down
  14. ball — a dance
  15. key — the most important part
  16. mug — a face
  17. mug — a cup
  18. pound — to hit hard
  19. mug — to rob
  20. deal — to handle
  21. lean — to rest against
  22. deal — an agreement
  23. pound — a weight
  24. leaves — lets stay

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