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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. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  2. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  3. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  4. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  5. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  6. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  7. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  8. The ball is in your ________________.
  9. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  10. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  11. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  12. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  13. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  14. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  15. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  16. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  17. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  18. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  19. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  20. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  21. When will it ________________ you to start?
  22. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  23. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  24. There's no middle ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pound — for dogs
  2. dip — to sink
  3. hide — to keep secret
  4. kick — in football
  5. dip — to dunk
  6. hide — to keep secret
  7. dip — a sauce
  8. court — for sport
  9. pound — to hit hard
  10. wind — to turn a key
  11. pound — a weight
  12. court — of law
  13. kick — a thrill
  14. kick — with a leg
  15. wind — moving air
  16. hide — animal skin
  17. court — of a king
  18. wind — moving air
  19. suit — in cards
  20. ground — crushed
  21. suit — to fit
  22. ground — the earth
  23. suit — clothes
  24. ground — a position

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