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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. Did you ________________ the meat?
  2. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  3. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  4. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  5. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  6. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  7. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  8. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  9. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  10. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  11. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  12. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  13. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  14. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  15. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  16. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  17. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  18. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  19. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  20. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  21. He is an ace ________________.
  22. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  23. When will it ________________ you to start?
  24. Spring is a pleasant ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. season — to add flavour
  2. object — to protest
  3. rock — a stone
  4. season — in sport
  5. dip — to dunk
  6. suit — clothes
  7. rock — to move gently
  8. object — an aim
  9. tear — from crying
  10. tear — to rip
  11. pound — for dogs
  12. rock — music
  13. pitcher — a jug
  14. tear — from crying
  15. dip — a sauce
  16. pitcher — a jug
  17. suit — in cards
  18. pound — to hit hard
  19. dip — to sink
  20. object — a thing
  21. pitcher — in baseball
  22. pound — a weight
  23. suit — to fit
  24. season — of the year

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