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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. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  2. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  3. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  4. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  5. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  6. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  7. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  8. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  9. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  10. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  11. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  12. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  13. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  14. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  15. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  16. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  17. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  18. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  19. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  20. My mare is ________________ in color.
  21. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  22. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  23. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  24. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — an eyelash
  2. bay — a part of the sea
  3. shower — a meteor shower
  4. safe — out of danger
  5. prune — to trim
  6. lash — to lash out
  7. pound — to hit hard
  8. net — in sport
  9. shower — to wash
  10. trunk — of an elephant
  11. net — after costs
  12. bay — to keep at bay
  13. safe — a strongbox
  14. safe — out of danger
  15. net — for catching
  16. trunk — of a car
  17. prune — to trim
  18. lash — a whip stroke
  19. prune — the fruit
  20. bay — a horse colour
  21. pound — for dogs
  22. trunk — of a tree
  23. shower — rain
  24. pound — a weight

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