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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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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. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  2. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  3. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  4. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  5. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  6. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  7. That must've been a ________________.
  8. The King held a masked ________________.
  9. When was this ________________ built?
  10. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  11. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  12. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  13. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  14. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  15. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  16. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  17. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  18. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.

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

Answer key

  1. pound — for dogs
  2. ball — a round shape
  3. file — a line of people
  4. pound — a weight
  5. hide — to keep secret
  6. file — a tool
  7. rush — a thrill
  8. ball — a dance
  9. temple — a place of worship
  10. ball — a great time
  11. hide — to keep secret
  12. hide — animal skin
  13. pound — to hit hard
  14. rush — to hurry
  15. temple — side of the head
  16. rush — hurry
  17. temple — a place of worship
  18. file — a document

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