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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 120 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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468
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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. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  2. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  3. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  4. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  5. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  6. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  7. The tickets are free of ________________.
  8. My mare is ________________ in color.
  9. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  10. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  11. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  12. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  13. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  14. The King held a masked ________________.
  15. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  16. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  17. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  18. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  19. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  20. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  21. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  22. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  23. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  24. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — to keep at bay
  2. club — a group
  3. pound — for dogs
  4. tear — to rip
  5. fork — in a road
  6. club — for golf
  7. charge — a price
  8. bay — a horse colour
  9. tear — from crying
  10. fork — to eat with
  11. hide — animal skin
  12. ball — a great time
  13. tear — from crying
  14. ball — a dance
  15. club — for dancing
  16. charge — electricity
  17. fork — a garden tool
  18. hide — to keep secret
  19. pound — a weight
  20. ball — a round shape
  21. hide — to keep secret
  22. bay — a part of the sea
  23. charge — in control
  24. pound — to hit hard

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