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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. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  2. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  3. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  4. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  5. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  6. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  7. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  8. When are we going to ________________?
  9. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  10. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  11. My mare is ________________ in color.
  12. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  13. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  14. Where did you ________________ them?
  15. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  16. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  17. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  18. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  19. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  20. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  21. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  22. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  23. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  24. He refilled his coffee ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pound — a weight
  2. squash — to crush
  3. land — ground
  4. wave — with your hand
  5. lash — to lash out
  6. bay — a part of the sea
  7. face — to confront
  8. land — to come down
  9. lash — a whip stroke
  10. face — to point toward
  11. bay — a horse colour
  12. face — part of the head
  13. wave — of the sea
  14. mug — to rob
  15. mug — a face
  16. squash — the sport
  17. land — a country
  18. wave — a sudden rise
  19. bay — to keep at bay
  20. squash — the vegetable
  21. lash — an eyelash
  22. pound — for dogs
  23. pound — to hit hard
  24. mug — a cup

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