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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. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  2. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  3. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  4. Have you found your soul ________________?
  5. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  6. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  7. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  8. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  9. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  10. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  11. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  12. When are we going to ________________?
  13. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  14. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  15. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  16. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  17. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  18. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  19. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  20. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  21. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  22. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  23. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  24. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?

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

Answer key

  1. pound — to hit hard
  2. mate — a friend
  3. land — ground
  4. mate — a partner
  5. can — to be able to
  6. mouse — for a computer
  7. pound — for dogs
  8. land — a country
  9. can — a tin
  10. cap — a hat
  11. cap — of ice
  12. land — to come down
  13. pound — a weight
  14. bore — gave birth
  15. cap — a lid
  16. mouse — the animal
  17. mate — to breed
  18. bore — to drill
  19. lash — an eyelash
  20. lash — to lash out
  21. lash — a whip stroke
  22. can — a tin
  23. mouse — the animal
  24. bore — to tire

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