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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. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  2. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  3. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  4. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  5. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  6. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  7. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  8. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  9. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  10. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  11. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  12. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  13. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  14. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  15. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  16. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  17. Have you found your soul ________________?
  18. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  19. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  20. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  21. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  22. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  23. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  24. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.

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

Answer key

  1. pound — for dogs
  2. dip — to sink
  3. kick — in football
  4. dip — to dunk
  5. cap — of ice
  6. safe — out of danger
  7. cap — a hat
  8. wave — a sudden rise
  9. wave — with your hand
  10. mate — to breed
  11. pound — a weight
  12. band — a rubber band
  13. kick — with a leg
  14. kick — a thrill
  15. dip — a sauce
  16. band — a ring
  17. mate — a partner
  18. safe — out of danger
  19. cap — a lid
  20. safe — a strongbox
  21. mate — a friend
  22. band — a music group
  23. wave — of the sea
  24. pound — to hit hard

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