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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. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  2. False peace will not ________________.
  3. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  4. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  5. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  6. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  7. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  8. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  9. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  10. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  11. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  12. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  13. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  14. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  15. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  16. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  17. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  18. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  19. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  20. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  21. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  22. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  23. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  24. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.

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

Answer key

  1. pound — for dogs
  2. last — to go on
  3. can — a tin
  4. can — a tin
  5. row — a line
  6. squash — the vegetable
  7. pound — a weight
  8. lie — an untruth
  9. fine — high quality
  10. row — to paddle
  11. last — finally
  12. mark — to pay attention
  13. last — final
  14. can — to be able to
  15. lie — to recline
  16. squash — to crush
  17. fine — all right
  18. fine — a penalty
  19. pound — to hit hard
  20. mark — a trace
  21. squash — the sport
  22. mark — a grade
  23. row — a quarrel
  24. lie — an untruth

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