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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. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  2. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  3. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  4. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  5. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  6. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  7. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  8. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  9. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  10. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  11. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  12. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  13. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  14. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  15. Where did you ________________ them?
  16. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  17. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  18. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  19. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  20. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  21. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  22. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  23. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  24. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.

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

Answer key

  1. tear — to rip
  2. row — to paddle
  3. pound — for dogs
  4. calf — a young animal
  5. calf — a young animal
  6. bat — for baseball
  7. calf — of the leg
  8. pass — a permit
  9. bat — the animal
  10. tear — from crying
  11. bat — in an idiom
  12. bass — the fish
  13. pass — to spend time
  14. tear — from crying
  15. mug — to rob
  16. bass — low music
  17. mug — a face
  18. row — a quarrel
  19. pound — to hit hard
  20. pass — to succeed
  21. bass — the instrument
  22. row — a line
  23. mug — a cup
  24. pound — a weight

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