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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. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  2. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  3. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  4. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  5. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  6. That must've been a ________________.
  7. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  8. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  9. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  10. When was this ________________ built?
  11. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  12. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  13. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  14. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  15. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  16. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  17. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  18. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  19. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  20. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  21. Don't do anything ________________.
  22. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  23. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  24. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.

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

Answer key

  1. pound — for dogs
  2. spring — a coil
  3. rash — a series
  4. temple — side of the head
  5. rush — to hurry
  6. rush — a thrill
  7. can — a tin
  8. can — a tin
  9. chip — in a computer
  10. temple — a place of worship
  11. wake — before a funeral
  12. rush — hurry
  13. chip — to eat
  14. chip — for betting
  15. wake — a trail
  16. rash — on the skin
  17. spring — of water
  18. can — to be able to
  19. spring — the season
  20. pound — a weight
  21. rash — hasty
  22. temple — a place of worship
  23. pound — to hit hard
  24. wake — to stop sleeping

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