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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 ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  2. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  3. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  4. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  5. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  6. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  7. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  8. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  9. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  10. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  11. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  12. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  13. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  14. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  15. We're almost out of ________________.
  16. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  17. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  18. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  19. You don't need to ________________ round.
  20. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  21. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  22. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  23. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  24. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.

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

Answer key

  1. lean — to rest against
  2. pit — a fruit stone
  3. patient — calm and waiting
  4. lash — to lash out
  5. pound — for dogs
  6. can — a tin
  7. pit — a hole
  8. pound — to hit hard
  9. bark — of a tree
  10. bark — a dog's sound
  11. patient — a sick person
  12. can — a tin
  13. lash — an eyelash
  14. bark — to shout
  15. pop — soda
  16. lash — a whip stroke
  17. patient — a sick person
  18. lean — to bend
  19. pop — to visit
  20. lean — thin
  21. pop — music
  22. can — to be able to
  23. pit — in a race
  24. pound — a weight

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