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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. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  2. You don't need to ________________ round.
  3. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  4. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  5. We're almost out of ________________.
  6. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  7. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  8. That must've been a ________________.
  9. Don't do anything ________________.
  10. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  11. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  12. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  13. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  14. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  15. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  16. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  17. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  18. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  19. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  20. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  21. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  22. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  23. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  24. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.

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

Answer key

  1. rash — on the skin
  2. pop — to visit
  3. trunk — of a tree
  4. pound — for dogs
  5. pop — soda
  6. trunk — of a car
  7. rush — hurry
  8. rush — a thrill
  9. rash — hasty
  10. rash — a series
  11. foot — the bottom
  12. trunk — of an elephant
  13. pitch — completely
  14. foot — part of the body
  15. rush — to hurry
  16. pitch — a sales talk
  17. hide — to keep secret
  18. pitch — a sports field
  19. hide — to keep secret
  20. hide — animal skin
  21. pound — a weight
  22. pound — to hit hard
  23. pop — music
  24. foot — a measure

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