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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. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  2. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  3. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  4. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  5. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  6. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  7. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  8. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  9. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  10. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  11. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  12. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  13. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  14. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  15. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  16. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  17. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  18. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  19. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  20. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  21. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  22. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  23. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  24. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — the animal
  2. lean — to rest against
  3. pound — for dogs
  4. pound — to hit hard
  5. race — a contest
  6. tear — from crying
  7. mouse — for a computer
  8. can — a tin
  9. pound — a weight
  10. race — humankind
  11. kick — a thrill
  12. tear — from crying
  13. kick — with a leg
  14. pass — to succeed
  15. can — a tin
  16. kick — in football
  17. mouse — the animal
  18. pass — a permit
  19. race — the arms race
  20. tear — to rip
  21. can — to be able to
  22. pass — to spend time
  23. lean — thin
  24. lean — to bend

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