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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. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  2. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  3. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  4. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  5. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  6. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  7. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  8. Have you settled on a ________________?
  9. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  10. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  11. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  12. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  13. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  14. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  15. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  16. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  17. My father caught me by the ________________.
  18. That was a fun ________________.
  19. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  20. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  21. The ________________ took off on time.
  22. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  23. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  24. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pound — a weight
  2. game — wild animals
  3. lash — to lash out
  4. hide — to keep secret
  5. pit — a hole
  6. pit — a fruit stone
  7. arm — a part of something
  8. date — on the calendar
  9. game — a kind of play
  10. plane — a tool
  11. hide — to keep secret
  12. date — on the calendar
  13. lash — an eyelash
  14. pound — to hit hard
  15. pound — for dogs
  16. hide — animal skin
  17. arm — part of the body
  18. game — a match
  19. date — the fruit
  20. pit — in a race
  21. plane — an aircraft
  22. arm — part of the body
  23. lash — a whip stroke
  24. plane — in geometry

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