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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 sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  2. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  3. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  4. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  5. It's one o'clock ________________.
  6. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  7. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  8. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  9. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  10. I'll be taking the ________________.
  11. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  12. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  13. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  14. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  15. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  16. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  17. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  18. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  19. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  20. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  21. My mare is ________________ in color.
  22. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  23. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  24. This looks like a gunshot ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — a part of the sea
  2. wound — past of 'wind'
  3. lean — to rest against
  4. sharp — with an edge
  5. sharp — exactly
  6. rock — a stone
  7. lean — to bend
  8. rock — music
  9. pound — a weight
  10. tube — the underground
  11. squash — the vegetable
  12. tube — a container
  13. squash — to crush
  14. tube — in a tire
  15. bay — to keep at bay
  16. pound — for dogs
  17. sharp — clever
  18. squash — the sport
  19. lean — thin
  20. wound — an injury
  21. bay — a horse colour
  22. rock — to move gently
  23. pound — to hit hard
  24. wound — an injury

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