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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. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  3. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  4. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  5. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  6. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  7. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  8. My mare is ________________ in color.
  9. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  10. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  11. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  12. False peace will not ________________.
  13. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  14. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  15. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  16. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  17. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  18. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  19. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  20. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  21. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  22. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  23. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  24. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pound — a weight
  2. pound — to hit hard
  3. bay — a part of the sea
  4. last — final
  5. pound — for dogs
  6. pit — a hole
  7. race — humankind
  8. bay — a horse colour
  9. lie — an untruth
  10. pit — in a race
  11. dip — a sauce
  12. last — to go on
  13. dip — to sink
  14. dip — to dunk
  15. pit — a fruit stone
  16. lie — an untruth
  17. last — finally
  18. safe — a strongbox
  19. safe — out of danger
  20. safe — out of danger
  21. bay — to keep at bay
  22. race — a contest
  23. lie — to recline
  24. race — the arms race

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