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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. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  2. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  3. I can't ________________ this cold.
  4. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  5. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  6. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  7. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  8. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  9. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  10. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  11. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  12. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  13. My mare is ________________ in color.
  14. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  15. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  16. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  17. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  18. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  19. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  20. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  21. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  22. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  23. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  24. I'd like to play a game of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pound — to hit hard
  2. lash — an eyelash
  3. stand — to bear
  4. rule — a law
  5. stand — for spectators
  6. spring — a coil
  7. spring — the season
  8. lash — to lash out
  9. bay — to keep at bay
  10. pound — for dogs
  11. rule — government
  12. bay — a part of the sea
  13. bay — a horse colour
  14. pound — a weight
  15. mine — an explosive
  16. squash — to crush
  17. stand — on your feet
  18. spring — of water
  19. lash — a whip stroke
  20. squash — the vegetable
  21. rule — to rule out
  22. mine — for digging
  23. mine — belonging to me
  24. squash — the sport

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