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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. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  2. Have you found your soul ________________?
  3. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  4. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  5. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  6. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  7. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  8. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  9. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  10. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  11. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  12. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  13. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  14. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  15. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  16. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  17. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  18. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  19. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  20. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  21. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  22. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  23. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  24. You can't go backstage without a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wake — a trail
  2. mate — a partner
  3. pound — a weight
  4. rock — music
  5. pound — to hit hard
  6. lie — to recline
  7. calf — a young animal
  8. lash — a whip stroke
  9. lie — an untruth
  10. mate — a friend
  11. mate — to breed
  12. calf — of the leg
  13. wake — to stop sleeping
  14. lie — an untruth
  15. lash — an eyelash
  16. calf — a young animal
  17. lash — to lash out
  18. pound — for dogs
  19. pass — to spend time
  20. pass — to succeed
  21. rock — to move gently
  22. rock — a stone
  23. wake — before a funeral
  24. pass — a permit

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