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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. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  2. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  3. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  4. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  5. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  6. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  7. The ball is in your ________________.
  8. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  9. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  10. My mare is ________________ in color.
  11. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  12. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  13. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  14. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  15. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  16. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  17. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  18. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  19. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  20. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  21. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  22. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  23. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  24. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.

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

Answer key

  1. bass — the instrument
  2. stem — of a plant
  3. pound — to hit hard
  4. bay — to keep at bay
  5. lash — an eyelash
  6. fork — a garden tool
  7. court — for sport
  8. bore — to drill
  9. bass — the fish
  10. bay — a horse colour
  11. fork — in a road
  12. bay — a part of the sea
  13. stem — to come from
  14. pound — for dogs
  15. court — of law
  16. pound — a weight
  17. bass — low music
  18. bore — gave birth
  19. court — of a king
  20. bore — to tire
  21. stem — a stem cell
  22. lash — a whip stroke
  23. lash — to lash out
  24. fork — to eat with

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