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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. What do you think of the new ________________?
  2. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  3. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  4. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  5. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  6. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  7. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  8. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  9. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  10. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  11. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  12. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  13. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  14. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  15. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  16. There's no middle ________________.
  17. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  18. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  19. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  20. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  21. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  22. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  23. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  24. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — ministers
  2. perch — the fish
  3. ground — the earth
  4. fan — a supporter
  5. ground — crushed
  6. cabinet — a cupboard
  7. craft — boats
  8. pit — a hole
  9. lash — an eyelash
  10. pound — for dogs
  11. lash — a whip stroke
  12. craft — a skill
  13. pit — a fruit stone
  14. fan — a supporter
  15. craft — a handicraft
  16. ground — a position
  17. fan — to cool the air
  18. pound — to hit hard
  19. perch — for a bird
  20. cabinet — ministers
  21. pit — in a race
  22. perch — for a bird
  23. lash — to lash out
  24. pound — a weight

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