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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. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  2. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  3. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  4. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  5. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  6. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  7. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  8. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  9. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  10. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  11. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  12. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  13. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  14. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  15. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  16. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  17. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  18. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  19. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  20. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  21. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  22. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  23. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  24. Don't do anything ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pound — for dogs
  2. scale — size or range
  3. pound — a weight
  4. rock — a stone
  5. rock — music
  6. fine — high quality
  7. fine — a penalty
  8. jam — to spread on bread
  9. jam — in traffic
  10. lash — a whip stroke
  11. race — humankind
  12. lash — to lash out
  13. scale — in music
  14. pound — to hit hard
  15. rash — a series
  16. race — a contest
  17. rash — on the skin
  18. rock — to move gently
  19. jam — a tight spot
  20. lash — an eyelash
  21. fine — all right
  22. scale — for weighing
  23. race — the arms race
  24. rash — hasty

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