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

  1. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  2. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  3. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  4. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  5. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  6. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  7. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  8. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  9. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  10. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  11. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  12. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  13. He is an ace ________________.
  14. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  15. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  16. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  17. Have you met the new head ________________?
  18. What do you think of the new ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. pound — a weight
  2. cabinet — ministers
  3. pound — for dogs
  4. band — a music group
  5. lash — an eyelash
  6. lash — a whip stroke
  7. pitcher — a jug
  8. band — a ring
  9. cabinet — a cupboard
  10. lash — to lash out
  11. coach — pulled by horses
  12. pound — to hit hard
  13. pitcher — in baseball
  14. band — a rubber band
  15. pitcher — a jug
  16. coach — a trainer
  17. coach — a trainer
  18. cabinet — ministers

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