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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 sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  2. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  3. That must've been a ________________.
  4. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  5. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  6. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  7. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  8. My mare is ________________ in color.
  9. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  10. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  11. The King held a masked ________________.
  12. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  13. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  14. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  15. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  16. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  17. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  18. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  19. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  20. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  21. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  22. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  23. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  24. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.

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. leaves — lets stay
  3. rush — a thrill
  4. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  5. lash — to lash out
  6. pound — for dogs
  7. rush — hurry
  8. bay — a horse colour
  9. bay — to keep at bay
  10. kid — to tease
  11. ball — a dance
  12. ball — a round shape
  13. leaves — of a tree
  14. current — of water
  15. lash — an eyelash
  16. kid — child
  17. rush — to hurry
  18. current — happening now
  19. lash — a whip stroke
  20. pound — a weight
  21. leaves — to go away
  22. current — electric
  23. ball — a great time
  24. pound — to hit hard

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