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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 120 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. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  3. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  4. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  5. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  6. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  7. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  8. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  9. Did you ________________ the button?
  10. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  11. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  12. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  13. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  14. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  15. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  16. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  17. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  18. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  19. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  20. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  21. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  22. My mare is ________________ in color.
  23. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  24. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — to keep at bay
  2. deal — an agreement
  3. press — a publisher
  4. lash — to lash out
  5. deal — to handle
  6. pound — a weight
  7. lash — a whip stroke
  8. bay — a part of the sea
  9. press — to push
  10. dip — a sauce
  11. dip — to dunk
  12. lash — an eyelash
  13. calf — a young animal
  14. leaves — to go away
  15. calf — of the leg
  16. pound — to hit hard
  17. leaves — lets stay
  18. deal — a big deal
  19. calf — a young animal
  20. press — newspapers
  21. dip — to sink
  22. bay — a horse colour
  23. leaves — of a tree
  24. pound — for dogs

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