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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. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  2. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  3. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  4. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  5. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  6. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  7. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  8. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  9. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  10. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  11. My father caught me by the ________________.
  12. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  13. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  14. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  15. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  16. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  17. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  18. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  19. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  20. Did you ________________ the meat?
  21. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  22. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  23. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  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 — for dogs
  2. patient — calm and waiting
  3. season — in sport
  4. pound — a weight
  5. stick — to attach or keep to
  6. season — of the year
  7. row — a quarrel
  8. squash — the vegetable
  9. arm — a part of something
  10. stick — a piece of wood
  11. arm — part of the body
  12. stick — a piece of wood
  13. arm — part of the body
  14. bore — to drill
  15. row — a line
  16. bore — gave birth
  17. squash — to crush
  18. row — to paddle
  19. bore — to tire
  20. season — to add flavour
  21. patient — a sick person
  22. patient — a sick person
  23. pound — to hit hard
  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