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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. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  3. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  4. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  5. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  6. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  7. My mare is ________________ in color.
  8. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  9. I'll be taking the ________________.
  10. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  11. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  12. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  13. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  14. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  15. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  16. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  17. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  18. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  19. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  20. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  21. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  22. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  23. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  24. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pound — for dogs
  2. shower — to wash
  3. pound — a weight
  4. foot — the bottom
  5. tube — in a tire
  6. foot — part of the body
  7. bay — a horse colour
  8. tube — a container
  9. tube — the underground
  10. rock — music
  11. club — a group
  12. craft — boats
  13. bay — to keep at bay
  14. bay — a part of the sea
  15. pound — to hit hard
  16. craft — a handicraft
  17. club — for golf
  18. foot — a measure
  19. shower — rain
  20. club — for dancing
  21. craft — a skill
  22. rock — to move gently
  23. rock — a stone
  24. shower — a meteor shower

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