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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. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  2. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  3. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  4. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  5. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  6. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  7. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  8. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  9. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  10. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  11. What do you think of the new ________________?
  12. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  13. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  14. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  15. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  16. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  17. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  18. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  19. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  20. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  21. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  22. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  23. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  24. Have you met the new head ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. pound — for dogs
  2. band — a ring
  3. coach — pulled by horses
  4. band — a music group
  5. lie — an untruth
  6. lie — to recline
  7. leaves — lets stay
  8. band — a rubber band
  9. content — the amount
  10. lash — an eyelash
  11. cabinet — ministers
  12. lash — a whip stroke
  13. pound — to hit hard
  14. leaves — to go away
  15. lie — an untruth
  16. pound — a weight
  17. content — videos and posts
  18. cabinet — a cupboard
  19. lash — to lash out
  20. coach — a trainer
  21. cabinet — ministers
  22. content — happy
  23. leaves — of a tree
  24. coach — a trainer

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