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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. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  2. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  3. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  4. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  5. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  6. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  7. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  8. You don't need to ________________ round.
  9. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  10. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  11. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  12. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  13. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  14. My mare is ________________ in color.
  15. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  16. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  17. That was ________________ to happen.
  18. We're almost out of ________________.
  19. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  20. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  21. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  22. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  23. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  24. She had a strange look on her ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. object — to protest
  2. bound — tied together
  3. pound — for dogs
  4. face — to confront
  5. bay — a part of the sea
  6. hide — to keep secret
  7. hide — to keep secret
  8. pop — to visit
  9. bound — obliged
  10. face — to point toward
  11. object — an aim
  12. pop — music
  13. object — a thing
  14. bay — a horse colour
  15. staff — a stick
  16. bay — to keep at bay
  17. bound — certain
  18. pop — soda
  19. pound — a weight
  20. pound — to hit hard
  21. hide — animal skin
  22. staff — employees
  23. staff — employees
  24. face — part of the head

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