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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. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  2. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  3. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  4. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  5. We're on a ________________ here.
  6. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  7. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  8. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  9. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  10. My mare is ________________ in color.
  11. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  12. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  13. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  14. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  15. The ________________ went through the wall.
  16. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  17. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  18. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  19. That must've been a ________________.
  20. That was ________________ to happen.
  21. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  22. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  23. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  24. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — to lash out
  2. lash — an eyelash
  3. nail — for a hammer
  4. roll — a cake
  5. roll — on a roll
  6. pound — a weight
  7. bay — a part of the sea
  8. bound — obliged
  9. foot — the bottom
  10. bay — a horse colour
  11. bound — tied together
  12. rush — to hurry
  13. roll — a list
  14. rush — hurry
  15. nail — for a hammer
  16. pound — to hit hard
  17. foot — a measure
  18. bay — to keep at bay
  19. rush — a thrill
  20. bound — certain
  21. lash — a whip stroke
  22. foot — part of the body
  23. pound — for dogs
  24. nail — on a finger

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