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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. My mare is ________________ in color.
  2. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  3. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  4. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  5. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  6. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  7. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  8. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  9. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  10. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  11. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  12. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  13. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  14. The ________________ took off on time.
  15. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  16. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  17. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  18. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  19. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  20. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  21. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  22. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  23. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  24. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — a horse colour
  2. pound — to hit hard
  3. plane — a tool
  4. lash — a whip stroke
  5. plane — in geometry
  6. bay — to keep at bay
  7. pound — for dogs
  8. prune — the fruit
  9. prune — to trim
  10. bay — a part of the sea
  11. hide — to keep secret
  12. hide — to keep secret
  13. dip — to dunk
  14. plane — an aircraft
  15. spring — of water
  16. spring — the season
  17. pound — a weight
  18. prune — to trim
  19. lash — an eyelash
  20. dip — a sauce
  21. hide — animal skin
  22. dip — to sink
  23. lash — to lash out
  24. spring — a coil

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