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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. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  2. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  3. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  4. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  5. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  6. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  7. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  8. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  9. My mare is ________________ in color.
  10. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  11. My father caught me by the ________________.
  12. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  13. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  14. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  15. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  16. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  17. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  18. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  19. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  20. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  21. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  22. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  23. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  24. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — size or range
  2. straw — dry grass
  3. prune — to trim
  4. pound — a weight
  5. pound — for dogs
  6. bay — a part of the sea
  7. bay — to keep at bay
  8. prune — the fruit
  9. bay — a horse colour
  10. lie — an untruth
  11. arm — part of the body
  12. pound — to hit hard
  13. prune — to trim
  14. scale — for weighing
  15. current — electric
  16. current — happening now
  17. arm — a part of something
  18. lie — an untruth
  19. current — of water
  20. lie — to recline
  21. scale — in music
  22. straw — to clutch at straws
  23. straw — a straw man
  24. arm — part of the body

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