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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. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  2. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  3. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  4. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  5. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  6. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  7. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  8. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  9. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  10. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  11. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  12. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  13. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  14. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  15. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  16. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  17. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  18. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  19. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  20. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  21. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  22. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  23. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  24. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. march — the month
  2. pound — to hit hard
  3. pound — for dogs
  4. pound — a weight
  5. lash — to lash out
  6. hide — animal skin
  7. mark — a grade
  8. hide — to keep secret
  9. prune — to trim
  10. lash — an eyelash
  11. toast — bread
  12. rule — a law
  13. rule — government
  14. prune — to trim
  15. march — the month
  16. mark — a trace
  17. hide — to keep secret
  18. toast — a drink to someone
  19. rule — to rule out
  20. march — music
  21. toast — the most admired
  22. prune — the fruit
  23. mark — to pay attention
  24. lash — a whip stroke

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