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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 116 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. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  2. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  3. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  4. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  5. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  6. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  7. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  8. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  9. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  10. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  11. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  12. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  13. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  14. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  15. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  16. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  17. How do you ________________ your surname?
  18. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  19. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  20. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  21. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  22. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  23. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  24. Do you need a ________________ with that?

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

Answer key

  1. lie — to recline
  2. pound — for dogs
  3. calf — of the leg
  4. pound — to hit hard
  5. lean — thin
  6. pound — a weight
  7. spell — a short time
  8. cap — a hat
  9. fan — a supporter
  10. fan — to cool the air
  11. lie — an untruth
  12. hand — in cards
  13. hand — part of the body
  14. spell — magic
  15. lean — to bend
  16. lean — to rest against
  17. spell — letters
  18. cap — of ice
  19. calf — a young animal
  20. lie — an untruth
  21. cap — a lid
  22. calf — a young animal
  23. fan — a supporter
  24. hand — help

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