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

  1. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  2. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  3. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  4. I'll be taking the ________________.
  5. Have you found your soul ________________?
  6. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  7. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  8. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  9. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  10. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  11. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  12. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  13. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  14. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  15. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  16. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  17. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  18. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  19. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  20. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  21. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  22. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  23. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  24. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — an eyelash
  2. pound — a weight
  3. pound — for dogs
  4. tube — the underground
  5. mate — a partner
  6. mate — to breed
  7. bear — the animal
  8. bear — to put up with
  9. lash — a whip stroke
  10. tube — in a tire
  11. jam — a tight spot
  12. pound — to hit hard
  13. lean — to bend
  14. shower — a meteor shower
  15. lean — to rest against
  16. mate — a friend
  17. lean — thin
  18. bear — the animal
  19. jam — to spread on bread
  20. shower — to wash
  21. shower — rain
  22. tube — a container
  23. jam — in traffic
  24. lash — to lash out

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