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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. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  3. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  4. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  5. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  6. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  7. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  8. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  9. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  10. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  11. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  12. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  13. The ________________ went through the wall.
  14. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  15. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  16. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  17. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  18. My mare is ________________ in color.
  19. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  20. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  21. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  22. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  23. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  24. He's taking a ________________ right now.

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

Answer key

  1. pound — for dogs
  2. pass — a permit
  3. pound — to hit hard
  4. bay — to keep at bay
  5. nail — on a finger
  6. spring — the season
  7. bay — a part of the sea
  8. snap — to speak sharply
  9. safe — out of danger
  10. shower — a meteor shower
  11. pound — a weight
  12. nail — for a hammer
  13. nail — for a hammer
  14. safe — out of danger
  15. pass — to spend time
  16. shower — rain
  17. snap — to click
  18. bay — a horse colour
  19. pass — to succeed
  20. snap — to snap out of it
  21. spring — a coil
  22. spring — of water
  23. safe — a strongbox
  24. shower — to wash

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