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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. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  3. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  4. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  5. My mare is ________________ in color.
  6. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  7. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  8. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  9. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  10. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  11. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  12. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  13. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  14. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  15. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  16. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  17. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  18. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  19. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  20. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  21. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  22. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  23. I'll be taking the ________________.
  24. He's taking a ________________ right now.

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

Answer key

  1. pound — for dogs
  2. shower — rain
  3. rock — music
  4. pit — a fruit stone
  5. bay — a horse colour
  6. pound — a weight
  7. lie — an untruth
  8. shower — a meteor shower
  9. pit — in a race
  10. tube — in a tire
  11. lash — a whip stroke
  12. lie — to recline
  13. bay — to keep at bay
  14. rock — to move gently
  15. pound — to hit hard
  16. lash — an eyelash
  17. pit — a hole
  18. tube — a container
  19. lie — an untruth
  20. lash — to lash out
  21. rock — a stone
  22. bay — a part of the sea
  23. tube — the underground
  24. shower — to wash

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