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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. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  2. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  3. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  4. Don't do anything ________________.
  5. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  6. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  7. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  8. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  9. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  10. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  11. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  12. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  13. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  14. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  15. The ________________ took off on time.
  16. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  17. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  18. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  19. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  20. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  21. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  22. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  23. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  24. He had ________________ pain while walking.

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

Answer key

  1. pound — for dogs
  2. squash — the vegetable
  3. fine — a penalty
  4. rash — hasty
  5. pit — a fruit stone
  6. pound — a weight
  7. trunk — of a tree
  8. squash — to crush
  9. fine — all right
  10. calf — a young animal
  11. rash — a series
  12. pit — in a race
  13. calf — a young animal
  14. trunk — of an elephant
  15. plane — an aircraft
  16. rash — on the skin
  17. pit — a hole
  18. plane — in geometry
  19. squash — the sport
  20. plane — a tool
  21. pound — to hit hard
  22. trunk — of a car
  23. fine — high quality
  24. calf — of the leg

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