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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 116 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. My mare is ________________ in color.
  2. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  3. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  4. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  5. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  6. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  7. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  8. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  9. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  10. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  11. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  12. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  13. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  14. I'll be taking the ________________.
  15. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  16. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  17. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  18. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  19. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  20. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  21. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  22. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  23. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  24. The people resisted their cruel ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — a horse colour
  2. scale — for weighing
  3. pound — a weight
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. dip — to dunk
  6. clip — to cut
  7. dip — a sauce
  8. scale — size or range
  9. tube — a container
  10. ruler — for measuring
  11. pound — to hit hard
  12. pass — to spend time
  13. bay — a part of the sea
  14. tube — the underground
  15. pass — to succeed
  16. scale — in music
  17. clip — a video
  18. dip — to sink
  19. pound — for dogs
  20. pass — a permit
  21. bay — to keep at bay
  22. tube — in a tire
  23. clip — for paper
  24. ruler — a monarch

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