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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. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  3. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  4. It's one o'clock ________________.
  5. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  6. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  7. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  8. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  9. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  10. My mare is ________________ in color.
  11. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  12. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  13. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  14. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  15. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  16. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  17. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  18. The ________________ took off on time.
  19. David sat on the ________________.
  20. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  21. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  22. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  23. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  24. That must've been a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pound — for dogs
  2. file — a document
  3. plane — a tool
  4. sharp — exactly
  5. sharp — clever
  6. file — a tool
  7. plane — in geometry
  8. file — a line of people
  9. rush — hurry
  10. bay — a horse colour
  11. lash — an eyelash
  12. sharp — with an edge
  13. lash — to lash out
  14. bay — a part of the sea
  15. rush — to hurry
  16. swing — in golf
  17. pound — a weight
  18. plane — an aircraft
  19. swing — to play on
  20. lash — a whip stroke
  21. pound — to hit hard
  22. bay — to keep at bay
  23. swing — music
  24. rush — a thrill

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