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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. Don't do anything ________________.
  2. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  3. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  4. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  5. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  6. When was this ________________ built?
  7. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  8. Where did you ________________ them?
  9. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  10. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  11. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  12. My mare is ________________ in color.
  13. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  14. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  15. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  16. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  17. How do you ________________ your surname?
  18. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  19. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  20. That must've been a ________________.
  21. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  22. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  23. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  24. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.

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

Answer key

  1. rash — hasty
  2. mug — a cup
  3. temple — side of the head
  4. pound — to hit hard
  5. bay — to keep at bay
  6. temple — a place of worship
  7. pound — a weight
  8. mug — to rob
  9. spell — magic
  10. mug — a face
  11. rush — hurry
  12. bay — a horse colour
  13. rush — to hurry
  14. stick — to attach or keep to
  15. pound — for dogs
  16. bay — a part of the sea
  17. spell — letters
  18. rash — on the skin
  19. temple — a place of worship
  20. rush — a thrill
  21. stick — a piece of wood
  22. spell — a short time
  23. stick — a piece of wood
  24. rash — a series

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