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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 120 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. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  4. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  5. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  6. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  7. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  8. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  9. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  10. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  11. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  12. There's no middle ________________.
  13. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  14. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  15. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  16. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  17. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  18. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  19. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  20. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  21. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  22. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  23. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  24. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.

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. current — of water
  4. lash — to lash out
  5. scale — in music
  6. ground — crushed
  7. scale — size or range
  8. ground — the earth
  9. hide — to keep secret
  10. calf — of the leg
  11. hide — animal skin
  12. ground — a position
  13. clip — for paper
  14. clip — a video
  15. lash — a whip stroke
  16. calf — a young animal
  17. clip — to cut
  18. hide — to keep secret
  19. scale — for weighing
  20. pound — for dogs
  21. calf — a young animal
  22. current — happening now
  23. lash — an eyelash
  24. current — electric

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