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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. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  2. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  3. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  4. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  5. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  6. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  7. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  8. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  9. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  10. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  11. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  12. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  13. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  14. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  15. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  16. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  17. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  18. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  19. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  20. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  21. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  22. David sat on the ________________.
  23. I can't ________________ this cold.
  24. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?

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

Answer key

  1. lash — to lash out
  2. pound — to hit hard
  3. stand — on your feet
  4. leaves — of a tree
  5. pound — for dogs
  6. fan — to cool the air
  7. band — a ring
  8. band — a music group
  9. lash — a whip stroke
  10. swing — music
  11. fan — a supporter
  12. pit — in a race
  13. stand — for spectators
  14. pit — a hole
  15. band — a rubber band
  16. lash — an eyelash
  17. swing — in golf
  18. pound — a weight
  19. leaves — lets stay
  20. leaves — to go away
  21. pit — a fruit stone
  22. swing — to play on
  23. stand — to bear
  24. fan — a supporter

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