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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. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  2. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  3. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  4. That was ________________ to happen.
  5. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  6. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  7. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  8. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  9. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  10. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  11. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  12. That must've been a ________________.
  13. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  14. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  15. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  16. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  17. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  18. When are we going to ________________?
  19. There's no middle ________________.
  20. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  21. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  22. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  23. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  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. lash — an eyelash
  2. lash — a whip stroke
  3. ground — crushed
  4. bound — certain
  5. straw — a straw man
  6. land — a country
  7. rush — to hurry
  8. bound — obliged
  9. pound — to hit hard
  10. fine — high quality
  11. lash — to lash out
  12. rush — a thrill
  13. land — ground
  14. straw — dry grass
  15. bound — tied together
  16. ground — the earth
  17. fine — a penalty
  18. land — to come down
  19. ground — a position
  20. fine — all right
  21. pound — for dogs
  22. straw — to clutch at straws
  23. rush — hurry
  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