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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: pound · lie · leaves · land · bank · club · toast · fork

  1. When are we going to ________________?
  2. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  3. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  4. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  5. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  6. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  7. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  8. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  9. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  10. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  11. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  12. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  13. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  14. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  15. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  16. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  17. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  18. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  19. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  20. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  21. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  22. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  23. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  24. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.

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

Answer key

  1. land — to come down
  2. leaves — lets stay
  3. club — for golf
  4. fork — to eat with
  5. club — a group
  6. land — ground
  7. lie — an untruth
  8. pound — to hit hard
  9. lie — an untruth
  10. pound — a weight
  11. land — a country
  12. fork — in a road
  13. lie — to recline
  14. bank — of a river
  15. toast — a drink to someone
  16. bank — for money
  17. fork — a garden tool
  18. toast — the most admired
  19. pound — for dogs
  20. leaves — to go away
  21. bank — for money
  22. toast — bread
  23. leaves — of a tree
  24. club — for dancing

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