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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: roll · pound · mark · land · mug · fan · bay · race

  1. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  2. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  3. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  4. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  5. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  6. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  7. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  8. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  9. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  10. We're on a ________________ here.
  11. Where did you ________________ them?
  12. My mare is ________________ in color.
  13. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  14. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  15. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  16. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  17. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  18. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  19. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  20. When are we going to ________________?
  21. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  22. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  23. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  24. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pound — a weight
  2. roll — a list
  3. pound — to hit hard
  4. bay — a part of the sea
  5. bay — to keep at bay
  6. land — ground
  7. fan — a supporter
  8. race — a contest
  9. mug — a face
  10. roll — on a roll
  11. mug — to rob
  12. bay — a horse colour
  13. roll — a cake
  14. pound — for dogs
  15. land — a country
  16. mark — a trace
  17. mug — a cup
  18. mark — to pay attention
  19. mark — a grade
  20. land — to come down
  21. fan — a supporter
  22. fan — to cool the air
  23. race — humankind
  24. race — the arms race

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