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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. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  2. When was this ________________ built?
  3. My mare is ________________ in color.
  4. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  5. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  6. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  7. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  8. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  9. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  10. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  11. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  12. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  13. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  14. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  15. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  16. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  17. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  18. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  19. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  20. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  21. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  22. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  23. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  24. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.

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

Answer key

  1. pound — a weight
  2. temple — a place of worship
  3. bay — a horse colour
  4. snap — to speak sharply
  5. lash — an eyelash
  6. temple — a place of worship
  7. row — a line
  8. bay — a part of the sea
  9. temple — side of the head
  10. pound — to hit hard
  11. snap — to click
  12. snap — to snap out of it
  13. lash — to lash out
  14. craft — a handicraft
  15. craft — a skill
  16. craft — boats
  17. prune — to trim
  18. pound — for dogs
  19. lash — a whip stroke
  20. row — to paddle
  21. prune — the fruit
  22. row — a quarrel
  23. bay — to keep at bay
  24. prune — to trim

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