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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. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  2. That must've been a ________________.
  3. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  4. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  5. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  6. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  7. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  8. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  9. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  10. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  11. I'll be taking the ________________.
  12. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  13. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  14. The tickets are free of ________________.
  15. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  16. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  17. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  18. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  19. My mare is ________________ in color.
  20. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  21. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  22. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  23. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  24. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — to keep at bay
  2. rush — a thrill
  3. pound — for dogs
  4. row — to paddle
  5. dip — to dunk
  6. rush — to hurry
  7. pound — a weight
  8. dip — to sink
  9. bat — in an idiom
  10. dip — a sauce
  11. tube — the underground
  12. tube — a container
  13. charge — electricity
  14. charge — a price
  15. tube — in a tire
  16. rush — hurry
  17. bat — the animal
  18. charge — in control
  19. bay — a horse colour
  20. bay — a part of the sea
  21. bat — for baseball
  22. row — a quarrel
  23. row — a line
  24. pound — to hit hard

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