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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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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 strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  3. My mare is ________________ in color.
  4. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  5. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  6. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  7. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  8. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  9. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  10. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  11. David sat on the ________________.
  12. There's no middle ________________.
  13. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  14. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  15. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  16. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  17. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  18. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  19. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  20. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  21. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  22. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  23. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  24. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.

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

Answer key

  1. pound — a weight
  2. wind — moving air
  3. bay — a horse colour
  4. pound — for dogs
  5. swing — music
  6. wake — before a funeral
  7. bay — a part of the sea
  8. safe — out of danger
  9. ground — the earth
  10. bay — to keep at bay
  11. swing — to play on
  12. ground — a position
  13. hide — to keep secret
  14. wind — to turn a key
  15. safe — a strongbox
  16. swing — in golf
  17. wind — moving air
  18. hide — animal skin
  19. pound — to hit hard
  20. wake — to stop sleeping
  21. hide — to keep secret
  22. ground — crushed
  23. wake — a trail
  24. safe — out of danger

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